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The Truth of God
“Re asons for pain. Re asons for sadne ss. Re asons
for life . Re asons for de at h. Re asons why our live s
are fille d wit h suffe ring. Re asons why our de at hs
is absurd. Hum ans want re asons for t he dest iny
t hat kee p t ransce nding our knowle dge . And God
produce t hose , as it is what God ha ve bee n brought
into exist e nce for. ”
— Abu Ray han Arsl an, — T he A b u M a n us c r i p t .
AD. 115
Imagine knowing, with absolute certainity, that God is in
his Heaven and that he loves you. Imagine that despite all
your sins and faults, despite all the horror and death in the
world, a path to Heaven exists. Imagine that even through
people murder, steal, rape and lie, God will wash away
humanity's sins. Imagine those notions without doubt, without
the notion or even the option of believing otherwise. You
don't choose to believe those things. You know them because
you've been instructed to know them all your life.
And then somewhere along the way, you learned the
horrible truth. There truly is a God, yes, but all is decidedly
not right with the world or humanity. The existence of God
is more a scorn than a salvation, a deadly infection than a life
giving force. More of a curse than a blessing. A morbid cruel
sentient power feeding on mankind's desires, rather than
mankind created in a loving God's image.
1
And yet humanity still believes in that image of God as
their lord and savior, a source of good, despite the horrors it
brings. Not only due to fanatism to a mission, but also
inductinated or forced by society to believe the words of the
“Holy Book”, with the widsom of God.
All is a lie, a vain pray for salvation and a frail image of
hope. The God worshipped by humanity, is an eldritch
monstrosity awoken from all of mankind's darkest desires,
nightmares and vices. Now, with the mission of guiding
humanity to their fate, spinning the Wheel of Fate as an
actual deity. Though there are those who have learned the
horrible and unbearable truth. Throughout the history of man,
some of “the Wise” have created art and texts telling the
truth, though such information have been mostly lost, burned
or condeemed heresy.
However, the truth of the Idea of God, is actually more
suited to be called the Ego of Evil. And those who know the
truth, know about this eldritch Demiurge.
The Demiurge is a primordial, eldritch horror residing in
the depts of the darkest Abyss. It is responsible for the fate
of humanity, acting on the species' collective desires.
None have truly meet God. However, some information
have been accumulated over the centuries, from varrying
sources and from a variable amount of methods, and all
theories points to anything than an "Old man in the skies,”
but a macabre an alien, cosmic horror resting within the
eather, the darkness of the Abyss outside the known realm of
existence.
One of the only remaining of such depictions of the
Demiurge, comes from the poems and paintings of the 3rd
century Persian artisan, Qasim Al-Zahir, whoes artwork often
depictured "God" as a massive darkness. It is the life of the
Abyss, the life-giving blood to fate, the creator of the horrors
of humanity. Qasim's depictions varies over time, but
consistently they describe the Demiurge as appearing as a
colossal conglomeration of innards and tendrils the size of a
large planetary body filling all of the Abyss. On closer
inspection it possess a slimy "skin" covered in countless
thousands of eyes, valves and what at first glance appear to be
warts but which are in fact biological incubators, each one
containing monstrosities in its larval stage. Its whole interior
is also riddled with enormous tunnels which are home to yet
more of these disgusting pustules, housing an untold number
of unborn monstrosities. The valves in it's body inhales and

exhales obscuring clouds of the souls of mortals. It sprouts
countless tentacles and vein-like protrusions which grows into
the surrounding realms. It rests in a massive void full of a
gaseous substance upon which it feeds, which is the souls of
the dead.
Quasim believed that all humans have a collective sub-
consciousness and that this Demiurge slumbers within that
sub-consciousness, making it essentially both the first
powerful and essential omnipotent entity and the Will of the
World.
He speculated that humanity is the unwitting creator of the
void that this elder deity sleeps within, though it's unlikely
that humanity created it, or if all of humanty is
subconsciously bound to it.
Contradicting to the Holy Book, rarely have any mortals
heard the "Voice of God", but those few who have learned
the truth have all gone either completely mad with despair or
become forever changed for the worse.
In the heretic texts of La verdad de los mundos exteriores
(Truth of the Outer Worlds), from the 6th century Hispanic
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Arian priest, Gregorio de la Mesa, who was later trialed for
sorcery, heresy and condemned to death, wrote about the
“Daedroths” or “the true messiahs”, of which there are
severeal. One example in his last texts, refers to a certan
Merodach, a great warlord of ancient Mesopotamia, who was
deadly wounded in battle and slipped into death. However, in
the Eclipse, he heard the “Voice of God”.
Chosen as an Avatar, Merodach's being would slowly
solidify “within the womb” into his true existence, Merodach
was reborn as an eldritch, god-like being in the world of men,
beyound any mortal comprehention; Merodach had been
ascented into a Daedroth, the messiahs chosen by God, a
quintumvirate of omnipotent sovereigns who act as executors
of God's will, by virtue of their desires being intrinsic to the
entity.
the Return
In ancient times, human tribes were able to perceive and
interact with astral entities, even erecting shrines in reverence
of spirits and pseudo-gods. However, following the
widespread of the Holy Church's orthodoxy the old
traditions have been forgotten by time.
After the reveal and dardenening defeat of the
Daedroth; Humbaba, the Sumarian King and
Sorcerer, Gilgamesh, back in the late 2nd millennium
BC, with the aid of six wise magicians, managed to
strengthen the veil between worlds by creating a Great
Seal to lock the eldritch influence from this world.
Which helped preventing horrors from entering the
world of man. However, this also shut off the access
to the dreamlands and the spirit worlds, resulting in
the presence of spirits and fae creatures from
interacting with humans and prevented humans from
tapping into the forces of the aether. This transformed
these creatures into nothing but mythological creatures
of legend, and magic and sorcery became folktales.
Unfortunately, the process of this Great Seal was
corrupted during it's creation, as such the Seal is
slowly but graduately fading. Throughout the
millennia, the eldritch forces and other supernatural
threats have slowly been slipping through.
The slow weakening of The Great Seal brings
about the merging of the astral and corporeal realms
into one global Interstice, with astral spirits and
 AD. 12 1 3

eldritch creatures of myth taking physical form worldwide as
living legends. These goblins and daemons, terrorizing the
common folk, which strangely enough, only helps
strengthening the faith of salvation from the “Lord”, and the
support of the Holy Church's crusades and escalating
strictness.
As the Astral World expands, the landscape becomes
markedly different from that of the Interstice, unimaginable in
comparison. In these deep layers, there exist eldritch beings
so profound and dissimilar, so powerful and potent from
most others as to be considered god-like, so powerful as to
have their influences reach across the realms, without even
being present. Such beings include Daoloth, Seraphim,

Astral World Daedroth, daemons, and nephilim.

The Astral World, also known as the Netherworld, is the

realms in the macrocosmic trinity, overlapping the Physical
World, the world of dreams and Ideal World. It is the planes
in which ethereal beings reside – the World of Wonders.
More precisely, the realms are home to numerous eldritch
creatures of legends on its surface layers, as well as profound
primal forces of nature near the deeper strata.
The Astral World is multi-layered, beginning at a shallow
layer, in which creatures of legend reside, and expanding
downward into the depths of primordial forces.
the Abyss
The Abyss is the deepest level of the Astral World. It is
called "Hell" by some. The Abyss is the home of the Ego of
Evil, the resting place of the Demiurge. It has a vortex of
souls, an endless swirl of consciousness as if all the evil in
the world were gathered there. It's the dark side of the
collective consciousness of the human species and other
sentient monstrosities, filled with all kinds of blurred negative
feelings, forgotten dreams and concealed desires and vices.

the Interstice
The Interstice is a shallow layer of the Astral World which
intermingles significantly with the Physical World, where the
dead who did not realize they died or left regretfully and
various astral beings reside. Certain humans that use magic
like witches and warlocks or those of strong spirituality have
a footing in the Interstice and can interact with the beings
residing there.

the Umbra
The Dream Realms
The Umbra or the Dream Realms is a border-realm within
the Interstice, between the Human and Astral worlds. It is a
vast, alternate dimension or universe, accessible to earthly
humans only through dreams and through which one can
enter the Abyss.
Umbra is a layer of the Astral World that is home to
creatures created from the dark recesses of humanity's
collective thoughts. Such residents of this realm include fae,
spirits, monsters and other mystical creatures of legends.

the Sefirot
3

The Holy Chapters
There is no power above God.
There is no labor unendurable in the name of God.
There is no pain unbearable in the name of God.
There is no fear unassailable with faith in God.
There is no object that cannot be given up for God.
There is no word other than the word of God.
There is no end. There is a place for us all at the feet
of God.
—the Holy Book
The Holy Church is an independent theocracic protectorate
utterly dedicated to the strict doctrine of God. Led by the
cardinals, a ruthless priest caste, their worldwide order of
organized religious crusades have earned the Church power,
rivaling that of kings. Their Holy War against "The Devil"
and all of his worshippers and agents is a battle they can't
lose. After all, they have God on their side!
Now the Church stands as a formidable power,
armed with both righteous weapons of war
and the resolve of fanatic faith.
Besides the armies of the
Knight Templars, the Knights
Hospitaller, and the
Teutonic Knights.
Another of the
Holy
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Church's most feared and religious chapters is the Holy
Inquisition. It rose in the first half of the 10th century to
combat heresy and the servants of the Devil. However, in
truth, this force against evil is more a force against the non-
believers. Their primary roles seems to be hunting and
punishing heretics, destroying any subjects contradicting the
holy doctrines, and often enforce blind obedience from the
common man through fear of persecution and execution.
Their Inquisition sweep across the land as a holy tide,
darkening the skies with the soot and smoke from the holy
fire of their mission.
Pope Severius II has recently declared Augustus Dominic
Grand Inquisitor of the Inquisition and has commissioned the
Holy Office of the Inquisition, to seek out and convert—or—
punish heretics and heresy where ever they find it. Something
he is most dedicated and very thorough about.
However, there are those who knows the truth and take
battle against the forces of darkness. This obscure order is
the true defenders against the darkness, the true hunters of
monsters wherever they reveal their ugly heads, and they can
actually differate between an evil witch and an ecentric healer.
They don't lecture the common man of his sins. They don't
praise faith in false saviours. They restlessly seek out and
battle the true enemy.
Despite the presence of mystic
creatures, witches and ghouls, the
common man is not nearly as aware
of these horors as they
should be. At least
not enough to
know what
these

monsters truly are. One of the reasons is the harsh orthodoxy
of the Church never speaking about such horrors. Another is
the relatively obscurity about daemons and monsters.
Although most believe in ghosts and daemons, it's one thing
to believe they exist as an opposition against God. But to
actually know they truly exists without fear of any gods, is
another story.
But if the Church can't (or most likely don't care to) take
up arms against undead monsters and eldritch horrors, then
who does truly defend the common folk from ghouls and
goblins?
There is a secret order, formerly from the Church, whose
mission is only to slay monsters, banish daemons, exorcise
ghosts, hunt vampires and werewolves, sniff out witches and
lift curses or searching for dangerous lost relics.
They dont adhere to the laws of the Church, they don't
care about God for they know the truth. They don't care
about the methods only the goal. They have chosen to fight
fire with fire and they have chosen to utilize the knowledge of
man combined with the forces of the aether to become the
best agents and advesaries of the creatures from beyond the
veil.
They are the Witchhunters; they are also sometimes referred
to as the Shadow Inquisition.
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Shadow Inquisition
Witchhunters
The Witchhunters is a dark and mystical group that works
to defeat the Demiurges and all of their spawn. Originally
established by the old Church, the Witchhunters is
denounced by the Holy Office, ostracized and anounced as
heretics and an enemy of God and a scorn on the Church.
Founded by the Cardinal Trine, a small group of occult
scholars within the Church, investigating old texts and
manuscripts, ancient sculptures and artifacts, investigating and
excavate old forgotten tempels. These secrets all felt on deaf-
ears or received threats of persecution, resulting in trials of
five members of these scholars, including two cardinals.
Pope Alexander III, however, was secretly worried and
granted the remaining three cardinals Alencio Gerrourio,
Georgio la Lelaverde, and Cicero Marcellus; later referred to
as the Cardinal Trine the permission to act in secrecy. These
three cardinals formed contra Diabolum enim et alii
daemones (against the Devil and other demons), a secret holy
group dedicated to investigate the truth about the Daedroths,
the Demiurge, and other spawns from the Astral Worlds.
As more and more sightings of monsters and supernatural
forces became more common, the need for action required
drastic measures of a holy crusade against the astral
entities.

In 993 AD the last deed of Pope Alexander III was
approving the Cardinal Trine to establish their own individual
organization within the church; the Shadow Inqusition.
Before the official beginning of the 10th century, the
Shadow Inquisition was ready to investigate into the nature of
the Demiurge and all supernatural evil and have collected
large amounts of information. Divided into several orders
throughout the world, brought together by papal decree, the
Shadow Inquisition lasted until the formation of the official
Holy Inquisition, at which point it was forcefully dissolved,
for it's “satanistic and un-godly practices” and the various
orders either joined and were reorganized, seceded or were
even hunted themselves. The remains of the Shadow
Inquisition, however, managed to establish themselves back on
their feet, but without church support. They secretly
established a castle on an uninhabited island somewhere in
the North Atlantic Ocean. The exact location and how to
reach it by sea is known only to the Shadow Inquisition. It's
on this island that the Dark Cathedral is located, a large
cathedral and fortified castle that functions as the headquarter
of the Witchhunters.
The Witchhunters is overseen by, and the field agents of,
the Shadow Inquisition. What these dark halls and dungeons
have witnessed of forbidden experiments, dark rituals, and
other blasphemous acts in the name of the greater good,
would unnerve the most dedicated God-fearing knight.
The Witchhunters acts like a closed spiritual warrior caste,
and they don't care for prestige and doesn't adhere to
organized hierarchy or how they are presented. As a result
they are less resourceful than the religious militia orders of
the Holy Church.
It's unknown exactly from where they came, or what they
would gain, but certain unknown sources, supporting the
Shadow Inquisition, agreed to do something rather drastic,
and with combined resources and the united skills of some of
the greatest sages, alchemists, and scholars of the time, have
all contributed, somehow, to create a solution to the creation
of a empowered exterminator caste which could match the
horrors they would have to face.
Training and education could only prepare a knights' errents
to the dangers they would face, however, it couldn't provide
them with the edge they needed.
Combined and hazardous efforts resulted in alchemy-
enhanced sciences and surgical techniques, revolutioning the
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world would it be allowed too, granted the abilities to tap
into the raw elements of aether from the netherworlds.
Through decades of research into magical powers, alchemy
and enhanced physiology, and have opened alot of insight
into monster.
Later experiments included injecting raw ethereal energoes
into subjects' bodies. Those who didn't die immediately,
showed a slight unraveling effect on magic energies.
This later developed into creating arteficial organs and
blood, all grown through alchemy and with the element of the
aether as core components. The result was enhanced blood
and organs to be surgically inplanted within a potential
candidate, granting them not only enhanced physical
capabilities but also an inate resistance to the supernatural if
successful. The artificial organs and the aether element being
a phycial part of a Witchhunter's body also allows for more
potent alchemy than that other humans uses. Their connection
with aether also allows them to perform metaphysical abilities,
close to, if not, actual magic spells and rituals.
The resulting Witchhunter; is now a seclusive order, with
innate defenses against supernatural powers, the most obscure
of forgotten knowledge and the enhanced physique to battle
inhumane enemies on equal terms. Though the consequences
of these practices are still risky to the Witchhunter apprentice,
as not all may survive the risky surgical procedures.
If managing to climb down the deepest parts of the cliffs
that carries the stronghold, one would be stunned by the sight
of the ivory collored bases of the canyons and basin floor.
Concealing the skeletal remains of all the failed subjects.

Witchhunter
Character Creation
Character Process
† Select Attributes: Choose primary, secondary nad tertiary
categories of Attributes. Start with 1 dot in each Attribute;
divide 6 additional dots among primary Attributes, 4 dots
among secondary Attributes, 3 dots among tertiary Attributes;
6/4/3
Physical: Strength, Dexterity, Stamina.
Social: Charisma, Manipulation, Appearance.
Mental: Perception, Intelligence, Wits.
† Select Abilities: Choose primary, secondary and tertiary
categories of Abilities. Divide 11 dots among primary
Abilities, 7 dots amon secondary Abilities, 4 dots among
tertiary Abilities; 1 1 / 7 / 4
Talents: Innate aptitudes.
Skills: Learned abilities
Knowledges: Academic and intellectual lore. All
Witchhunters automatically begins with 1 dot in Occult and 1
dot in Theology.
† Select Advantages: Select one chosen primary Superior
Virtues Power (Courage), Wisdom (Self-Control), Focus
(Conscience).
Divide 5 dots among Backgrounds, 7 dots among the three
Virtues; (Courage, Self-Control, and Conscience) to a
maximum of 5 dots. Characters automatically has one dot in
each Virtue.
† Finishing Touches: Starting Permanent Aether is the sum
of the character's primary Superior Virtue and its controlling
basic Virtue (Conscience + Focus, for ecample). Temporary
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Aether is equal to Courage. Starting Morality is the sum of
Conscience + Self-Control. Starting Willpower is the sum of
the character's Courage + Power.
Spend additional 21 freebie bonus points.
† Endowment: Start with three Endowment Investitures at a
maximum Tier-One. Other Investitures must be bought from
the Cathedral with currency. Beginning Investitures can be
increased with 5 points times the current Tier-Level of the
Endowment.
† Rites: Rites are mystical rituals that Witchhunters are
using in the field.
† Alchemy: Alchemy is the art of matter and how to
prepare mystic potions and poisons.
Freebie Points
† Attributes: 5 bonus points per dot.
† Abilities: 2 bonus points per dot.
† Ability Specialities (max three per ability): 1 bonus
point each.
† Backgrounds: 1 bonus point per dot.
† Virtues: 2 bonus points per dot.
† Willpower: 1 bonus point per dot.
† Rituals: 3x Level bonus points per Ritual.
† Endowment: Level x5 bonus points.
† Aether: Level x5 bonus points.
† Alchemy: Level x5 bonus points

Nature & Demeanor
The twin faces of a character’s archetype, Nature and
Demeanor, point at aspects of his personality beyond and
beneath any specific aptitude or knowledge.
Autocrat
The time is out of joint, and you were born to set it right.
You thrive when you can take charge and bring order to
what’s been chaotic. You might be a great leader; you might
also have been one of the powerless masses, now serving in a
role that was once denied to you. You trust your judgments,
and why not? Experience tells you that you’re made for
special insights into both the world’s problems and their
solutions.
† Regain Willpower when you lead a group to some
significant accomplishment.
Barbarian
Civilization is the trap that the clever set for the weak, and
in which they end up snaring themselves. Truly intelligent,
brave, strong people understand that sedentary existence only
brings you that much closer to the grave, and that what
counts is what you achieve as an individual. You respect only
actual deeds. Anyone can boast or scheme, but all words
vanish in the end. Only deeds remain, having changed the
world.
† Regain Willpower when you beat “civilized” competition
through your barbaric virtues.
Caretaker
You are, indeed, your brother’s keeper. You know that the
most important obligation is providing for others’ needs. Not
everyone appreciates your effort, as you already know from
bitter experience, but rejection and ingratitude do not give you
license to stop doing what you know you should. There can
be no rest until the world is at ease, and that’s a long way
off.
† Regain Willpower when you put forth significant effort
that benefits others without any particular return for yourself.
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Celebrant
The greatest joy in life is the only thing worth having.
Some particular kind of consummate satisfaction draws you
on. Depending on who you are, it may be the ecstasy of
prayer, the heady rush of battle, the textures of the finest
fabrics… almost anything might be the key to sensual
happiness. Whatever it is, you’ll do whatever seems necessary
to protect that pleasure and enjoy it. You may or may not
feel compelled to share the joy with others.
† Regain Willpower whenever you experience a new pleasure
within your favored category (using an unfamiliar type of
weapon in battle, praying in accordance with a new liturgy or
hymnal, wearing a fabric you’ve never worn before), when you
convert another character to a proper appreciation of the
pleasure’s merits or when you repeat the single strongest
pleasure of your chosen sort.
Defender
Everything that matters in the world struggles to survive in
the face of its enemies. This isn’t necessarily a commitment
to tradition, though. The thing you defend may be some
fragile innovation or the hope of future progress. You may
see your role in martial terms, or otherwise; this is an
Archetype for healers and priests as well as warriors. You find
your fulfillment in defending the cause to which you’ve given
your allegiance.
† Regain Willpower whenever you successfully defend your
chosen object of loyalty from some outside threat.
Gallant
Never mind goals and ultimate conditions: What matters is
how you make your way. The most important thing in the
world is style in all its manifestations — the right appearance,
the right accoutrements, the right speech and actions. You
aspire to be the gentleman or lady whose panache sets the
tone for the community around you. Romance and rhetoric
guide you; morbidity, depression and earnest self-denial are
the great enemies.
† Regain Willpower whenever you accomplish a significant
task with particular style and grace.
Jester

You are the one who sees the world as it is (a veil of folly
and deceit) and who enlightens others through the subtle ways
of humor. They may see only slapstick or broad comedy, but
your insights creep past their mental walls and set up camp,
so that in the end, the stupid, vicious, clumsy powers that be
all fall down. Where there is wholesome laughter and relieved
scorn, there is no room for tyranny. Let the world’s would-be
masters beware, for you strike at the fear that sustains them.
† Regain Willpower whenever you raise the spirits of those
in great misery, or whenever you undermine a bully or tyrant
by making him the object of ridicule.
Judge
Above all, the world cries out for judgment. Someone must
weigh competing wants and needs in the balance, rewarding
those who deserve it and punishing the guilty for their
offenses. That’s you. Whether you hold any official role or
not, you are one of the latter-day heirs to Joshua, applying
right principle and careful consideration to the tumult around
you. You act to resolve conflict and administer justice. It is
not necessary for others to appreciate or understand your
work; their obedience is sufficient.
† Regain Willpower whenever you settle a long-time dispute
or whenever you convince contentious factions to submit to
your judgment.
Pedagogue
“But I didn’t know,” says the criminal and the sinner. They
protest, but they have a point. Who can do right without
being instructed? In the absence of revelation, we must all
apply ourselves to the task of learning. Someone must teach
others the facts of the world, and that someone is you. You
find the greatest joy in correcting error and removing
ignorance, whether others appreciate your efforts or not.
† Regain Willpower whenever you see someone survive a
significant threat thanks to knowledge you gave them or
whenever you can make a point of instruction compulsory,
thereby abolishing that ignorance for good.
Penitent
In the beginning there was sin, and in the end there will be
judgment. In between, there is your guilt and the world’s, so
much wrong that must be acknowledged and for which
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atonement must be made. Your whole existence is given over
to the struggle for redemption. You do everything you can to
deny your darker impulses or at least to channel them into
some productive, virtuous enterprise.
† Regain Willpower whenever you make a substantial
sacrifice to atone for a recent sin. The greater the sin, the
more lasting the sacrifice must be.
Rebel
Priests talk of Satan, kings talk of the Jacquerie. They
mean the same thing: that nobody should ever dare challenge
the existing order. You understand that everybody should
challenge it, for the existing order is rotten to the core.
Authority is your enemy, and you will do whatever it takes to
topple it. Impulsive or calculating, patient or rash, you know
your enemies. In time, they will know you and fear you.
† Regain Willpower whenever you inflict significant damage
on the order you despise.
Survivor
The Day of Judgment may be imminent, or it may be
thousands of years off. Your goal is very simple: to be there
when the end comes. You’ll do whatever it takes to survive in
the meantime. Alliance and betrayal, devotion and hypocrisy,
these are all just tools for you to use when appropriate. You
do care about what happens around you, and if you can take
others with you on the longest journey, so much the better.
It’s just that you won’t let them stop you, if it comes down
to that.
† Regain Willpower whenever
you survive a serious threat
through determination and
tenacity, or whenever
your leadership
allows others to
survive a threat that
would otherwise
have destroyed
them.

Attributes
Physical
The Physical Attributes measure qualities of the body, such
as its strength, speed, coordination, resilience and so on.
Strength
Strength is a character’s innate muscle power, governing
how much he can lift and how hard he can hit.
1st—Poor. You can lift 40 lbs.
2nd—Average. You can lift 100 lbs.
3rd—Good. You can lift 250 lbs.
4th—Exceptional. You can lift 400 lbs.
5th—Outstanding. You lift 650 lbs.; you routinely break
the bones of (and otherwise intimidate) anyone who gets in
your way.
HIGHER LEVELS
6th—Inhuman. Strike with staggering force. Opponents
must make a successful Stamina roll when striked or become
Dazed.
7th—Unnatural. Powerful grip; bend steel or iron bars.
Unarmed strikes deal lethal damage.
8th—Supernatural. Lift a 1500 lbs. stone block. Earth-
shattering strikes so devestating that they inflicts aggravated
damage.
Dexterity
Dexterity covers the qualities of physical prowess apart from
strength, such as speed, agility, coordination and so on.
1st—Poor. You are always awkward and often clumsy.
2nd—Average. You get through life without too many
embarrassing accidents.
3rd—Good. You move with notable grace, and you can do
well at the athletic efforts that attract your interest.
4th—Exceptional. You could be a professional tumbler or
other acrobat, and you have the reflexes to make an
outstanding warrior.
5th—Outstanding. You have the constant grace of a
demigod.
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HIGHER LEVELS
6th—Inhuman. One extra action. Perfect cat-like balance
reduces falling damage and acrobatics difficulties.
7th—Unnatural. Two extra actions. Blinding cobra-like
reflexes. Roll Initiative twice and pick the highest result.
8th—Supernatural. Three extra actions. Near-absolute
control of manual tasks. Could flip heads on a coin every
single time.
Stamina
Stamina includes overall health, toughness and resilience.
Characters with high Stamina can take more damage in and
out of combat, and they recover more quickly from the
injuries they do suffer.
1st—Poor. Your existence is a constant parade of minor
(and major) miseries. In life, you got hurt easily and healed
slowly.
2nd—Average. You’re of average health.
3rd—Good. In life, you seldom succumbed to the illnesses
sweeping around you. In unlife, you resist injury better than
many vampires.
4th—Exceptional. You keep going in the face of challenges
that exhaust others.
5th—Outstanding. Perhaps Adam and Eve were this
vigorous before the Fall.
HIGHER LEVELS
6th—Inhuman. Tough as an ox. Immune to most sickness
and weaker poisons. One additional Bruised health level.
7th—Unnatural. Immune to all non-magical poisons and
diseases. Two extra Bruised health levels. Take only half
bashing damage after soak (round up).
8th—Supernatural. Tireless; never need to rest or sleep.
Three extra Bruised health levels. Take half lethal damage
after soak (rounded up).
Social
Social Attributes measure how well a character deals with
others in various ways. They encompass her appearance,
charm, ability to master social graces and so on.
Charisma

Charisma plays a part in efforts to win others’ trust and
sympathy, and to bring them into alignment with the
character’s own views and goals.
1st—Poor. Even your best moments contain many minor
gaffes.
2nd—Average. You seldom give unintended offense, and you
enjoy reasonable social standing among your peers and
neighbors.
3rd—Good. People trust you and enjoy your company
without always realizing how much of your outlook they’re
adopting.
4th—Exceptional. You naturally lead whatever group you’re
in.
5th—Outstanding. You have the confidence of the blessed.
HIGHER LEVELS
6th—Inhuman. Commanding presence. Others fall over
themselves in order to please.
7th—Unnatural. Awe-inspiring. Mortals bow in awe or flee
in fear. Impressionable people roll Willpower against
Charisma or suffer an ecstatic or psychotic episode.
8th—Supernatural. Divine aura. Crowds flock around and
acts like sheep under guidance.
Manipulation
Where Charisma brings allegiance, Manipulation brings
obedience in the present moment, with or without lasting
affiliation.
1st—Poor. You have a hard time sounding sincere even
when you are.
2nd—Average. You can persuade and be persuaded about as
easily as anyone else.
3rd—Good. You’re accustomed to getting your way.
4th—Exceptional. You have the makings of a good preacher
or inquisitor.
5th—Outstanding. Your words move all who hear them to
aid your cause, and you speak with divine (or demonic)
charm.
HIGHER LEVELS
6th—Inhuman. Absorbing. Can almost place an individual
in a mild hypnotic state with a successful resisted
Manipulation versus Willpower roll. Lasting for a scene.
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7th—Unnatural. Enthralling. With a successful resisted
Manipulation versus Willpower roll, implant a post-hypnotic
suggestion for a target to perform later, as long as it doesn't
threaten her life.
8th—Supernatural. Enslaving. As under level 6, but influence
continues even when not present, so that the subject feels
inclined to look out for the slaver's best interests as long as
doing so doesn't put her in danger.
Appearance
Appearance is the sum of all the factors that make an
individual attractive to others. Physical beauty is part of it,
but so are one’s implicit attitudes, the subtle cues of body
movement and poise and many other less obvious features.
1st—Poor. You’re ugly by the standards of your own society
and those of many others.
2nd—Average. You’re inconspicuous.
3rd—Good. You attract favorable attention almost
everywhere you go.
4th—Exceptional. You stand out in nearly any crowd, for
good and ill.
5th—Outstanding. People routinely compare you to a
demigod or angel incarnate.
HIGHER LEVELS
6th—Inhuman. Heavenly. So attractive as to have an inner
quality that causes others to see their own ideal. Each person
sees the person's inner beauty through their own desires, and
people may disagree as to exactly what she may look like.
7th—Unnatural. Mesmerizing. Those who are attracted fall
into a stupor as through she was their most beloved and
idolized person of worship. They may even roll a Stamina or
actually swoon in rapture.
8th—Supernatural. Hypnotizing. Her words reach into the
stunned mind of those who see her. Regardless of their
normal orientation, they must roll Willpower to resist trying
to satisfy her every desire.
Mental
Mental Attributes are qualities of the mind, such as
reasoning, intuition and sharpness of the senses. Depending
on the individual, high Mental Attributes can represent wide-
ranging genius or more focused cleverness.

Perception
Perception is the ability to accurately sense one’s
environment. It combines keen senses with the intuitive grasp
of what may or may not be significant, without needing to
pause for labored analysis.
1st—Poor. You may be bright but self-absorbed or simply
inattentive.
2nd—Average. Subtlety may elude you, but you don’t miss
the obvious, and you can do all right with the obscure if you
have time and good circumstances.
3rd—Good. You’re aware of your environment in significant
detail without having to strain at it.
4th—Exceptional. Little can remain hidden from you when
you choose to find it. You see all things clearly.
5th—Outstanding. The book of the world opens its every
page to you.
HIGHER LEVELS
6th—Inhuman. Eyes of an eagle, the nightvision of a cat,
the ears and nose of a hound or hands delicate as a set of
scales.
7th—Unnatural. Perceive infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths.
Hear like a bat, even using sonar to paint a sound-image of
the surroundings.
8th—Supernatural. Read an opponent so well that
Perception may replace Dexterity in close combat. Pierce any
sensory-confounding magic—invisibility, illusion—up to level
five, and can resist higher level magic with a successful
resisted Perception roll against the power.
Intelligence
Intelligence includes a character’s ability to master facts and
knowledge, recall them at need and put them together to
produce new insights. Problem-solving and logic lie within the
domain of Intelligence.
1st—Poor. If you’re not actually a half-wit, surely you have
less than one full wit.
2nd—Average. You’re unremarkable, and you manage to get
through life without too much bewilderment.
3rd—Good. You’re insightful, and you can count on making
sense of many mysteries.
4th—Exceptional. You learn much, forget little and routinely
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make innovations in your chosen field.
5th—Outstanding. You’re a latter-day Solomon or
Odysseus.
HIGHER LEVELS
6th—Inhuman. Eidetic memory. Encyclopedic pool of
knowledge. Decipher puzzles or mysteries with minimal clues
and effort.
7th—Unnatural. Intuitive understanding. Ignore penalties
from not possessing required Skills or Knowledges in
Intelligence related rolls.
8th—Supernatural. Universal mind. All Knowledges, Skills
and talents are at a plus one level per success on an
Intelligence roll. Lasts for the rest of the scene.
Wits
Wits is the capacity for quick thinking: not necessarily for
brilliant intellectual reasoning or even for careful appraisal of
the environment, but rapid response based on available
information and survival instinct.
1st—Poor. Your jokes fall flat and you’re the last to notice.
2nd—Average. You get through life without too many
unpleasant surprises.
3rd—Good. You’re quick on the uptake, and you often get
the best of others when speed is essential.
4th—Exceptional. You’re the one who makes everyone else
think, “I wish I’d thought of that.”
5th—Outstanding. You have the Psalmist’s gift for the
appropriate response for every occasion.
HIGHER LEVELS
6th—Inhuman. Perform complex calculations instantly. Sum
up the situation instantly. Roll initiative twice and chose
higher result.
7th—Unnatural. Complete integration of memory and
mental capacity prevents surprise and ambush.
8th—Supernatural. Computational mastery. Profound insight
by processing vast bits of inspired conclusions that leaves
others in open-mouthed amazement.

Abilities
Abilities measure your character’s capability to undertake
specific kinds of tasks. Whereas Attributes measure raw
potential in broad fields, each Ability is a much more focused
area of knowledge or expertise.
Acting Without an Ability
It’s actually when you don’t have an Ability that
thedifferences between Talents, Skills and Knowledges become
clear. Talents are relatively easy to do by the seat of your
pants, Skills are harder, and Knowledges are downright
impossible.
† Missing Talent: No additional penalty
† Missing Skill: -1 penalty
† Missing Knowledge: No roll possible (automatic failure)
Talents
Talents are matters of innate aptitude, requiring no training
to develop, and they improve primarily or exclusively through
experience.
Alertness
Alertness is the ability to notice things that are going on in
one’s vicinity, with or without actively searching for them.
Most Alertness rolls pair this Ability with Perception, and it
generally applies to physical stimuli rather than matters of
mood, the soul and so on.
1 Dot: Novice: You’re seldom taken completely by surprise.
2 Dots: Practiced: Whispers do not go unheard in your
vicinity.
3 Dots: Competent: You maintain a constant vigil.
4 Dots: Expert: Few hidden things are safe around you.
5 Dots: Master: Your senses push the boundaries of human
potential and rival those of the beasts of the field.
Possessed By: Burglars, Hunters, Messengers, Sentries,
Tramps.
Specialties: Ambushes, Angelic/Demonic Manifestations,
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Crowds, Forests, Noises, Paranoia, Traps.
Athletics
Athletics is aptitude for physical exertion, be it during
relatively formal sports or simply in the course of an active
life. Athletic feats that are directly related to combat are
covered by Brawl, Dodge, Melee and the other combat
Abilities, except in the case of thrown weapons. These require
Athletics.
1 Dot: Novice: You lead a moderately active existence.
2 Dots: Practiced: You can compete effectively in local
sporting competitions.
3 Dots: Competent: You can support yourself, at least in
large measure, with the prizes you win in challenges of
physical excellence.
4 Dots: Expert: Stories of your prowess circulate widely.
5 Dots: Master: Your reputation precedes you, and would-be
rivals feel awe at your ability.
Possessed By: Barbarians, Entertainers, Spearmen, Squires,
Warriors, Youths.
Specialties: Climbing, Dancing, Juggling, Running,
Swimming, Thrown Objects, Tumbling.
Brawl
Brawl is the ability to fight unarmed, whether with a
specific system of techniques or simply flailing away and
relying on one’s experience of where and how to strike.
Brawling well requires coordination, speed, the ability to
withstand pain and the willingness to deal out “unfair”
assaults, particularly against strong or quick opponents.
1 Dot: Novice: You don’t immediately fold in the face of a
fight.
2 Dots: Practiced: You’ve had your share of tussles with
neighbors and other local brawlers.
3 Dots: Competent: You fight with confidence and
competence, and you can count on winning or at least coming
through a fight and remaining standing.
4 Dots: Expert: You can take on most opponents and expect
to win.
5 Dots: Master: You do as much with your fists as many
soldiers and knights do with their weapons.
Possessed By: Brigands, Bullies, Soldiers.

Specialties: Arm-locks, Boxing, Drunken Fighting,
Grappling, Showing Off, Throws, Wrestling.
Dodge
Dodge is the ability to get out of harm’s way, whether in
combat or in the face of other sorts of danger. It
encompasses the use of cover and agile maneuvering, and it
comes from the systematic training of a knight or the rough-
and-ready experience and instincts of a thief or brawler. Dodge
plays a crucial role in the survival of any character who fights
often, greatly increasing his chances of escaping damage.
1 Dot: Novice: You reflexively avoid most minor sources of
injury and show a measure of grace in your movements.
2 Dots: Practiced: You’re hard to hurt unless someone or
something catches you by surprise.
3 Dots: Competent: It takes serious effort for an opponent
to hit you; you get out of the way of most thrown objects as
well as immediate dangers.
4 Dots: Expert: Only skilled warriors can expect to hurt you
very much.
5 Dots: Master: Wherever a threat is, you’re almost
inevitably somewhere else.
Possessed By: Animal Trainers, Brawlers, Criminals,
Hunters, Scouts, Soldiers.
Specialties: Backstep, Dive, Duck, Find Cover, Horseback,
Leap, Sidestep.
Empathy
Empathy is the ability to understand others’ emotional
states and to present a suitable response — whether the
character genuinely sympathizes with others or simply wishes
to use them. It’s crucial in unraveling motives and helpful in
detecting dishonesty.
1 Dot: Novice: You seem sympathetic to people with whom
you share something in common.
2 Dots: Practiced: You share others’ joys and sorrows, even
when you haven’t made any particular effort at it.
3 Dots: Competent: You display keen insights into others’
souls and enjoy a measure of respect or fear depending on
how you use your wisdom.
4 Dots: Expert: Few people can deceive you. Enemies mutter
that you deal with dark powers, and friends believe that God
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has given you a special perception.
5 Dots: Master: Nothing human is mysterious to you.
Possessed By: Commanders, Diviners, Gossips, Merchants,
Parents, Priests, Tricksters.
Specialties: Background Emotions, Emotions, Family
Problems, Long-Term Concerns, Personalities, Truths.
Expression
Expression is the ability to communicate clearly and
appropriately with words, be they spoken or written.
Characters with high Expression ratings make their arguments
persuasively, regardless of the extent to which the truth may
support them. They can bring out subtle truths or convey
subtle deceptions, depending on how they use their ability.
Expression, although used when composing written texts, does
not cover the ability to actually read and write (that’s
Academics).
1 Dot: Novice: Sometimes you find just the right words.
2 Dots: Practiced: You routinely speak well, and (if you are
literate) you can correspond reasonably clearly.
3 Dots: Competent: You can make a living with the spoken
and written word, and you can count on winning arguments.
4 Dots: Expert: Your sermons, proclamations or other acts
of expression garner widespread respect, and others copy your
style.
5 Dots: Master: Your fame runs far and wide among
devotees of good style, and others find it nearly impossible to
argue against you.
Possessed By: Minstrels, Poets, Preachers, Rabble Rousers,
Teachers.
Specialties: Acting, Conversation, Improvisation, Poetry,
Preaching, Storytelling.
Intimidation
Intimidation is the ability to make others do what you
want, not out of respect or conviction but out of fear of the
consequences if they disobey. It may include the use of
threats, physical force or purely psychological tactics,
depending on the individual.
1 Dot: Novice: You can reliably get your way with much
weaker targets.
2 Dots: Practiced: People around you know that when you

make threats, you mean them, and they try not to cross you.
3 Dots: Competent: You exert the commanding presence of
an authority figure, regardless of your actual status.
4 Dots: Expert: Even those who like you feel some
nervousness in your presence, and the masses fear your wrath.
5 Dots: Master: You are well on your way to becoming one
of the legendary tyrants of the age.
Possessed By: Bullies, Commanders, Lords, Thugs,
Torturers.
Specialties: Blackmail, Overt Threats, Physical Coercion,
Politics, Pulling Rank, Staredowns, Veiled Threats.
Leadership
Leadership is the ability to make others carry out orders. It
doesn’t change their underlying outlook or convictions; it lets
the would-be leader seem credible and worthy of respect based
on whatever their standards are. It’s usually rolled with
Charisma rather than Manipulation to reflect this distinction.
1 Dot: Novice: You’ve organized small ventures in your
hometown with moderate success.
2 Dots: Practiced: You routinely direct small groups of your
neighbors and peers.
3 Dots: Competent: Your duties include the exercise of
authority, such as serving as captain of the guard or abbot of
a monastery, and you discharge them well.
4 Dots: Expert: You act capably as a leader of people
throughout your region.
5 Dots: Master: You are, or can be if you choose, a great
warlord, pillar of the Church or other famous leader of your
time.
Possessed By: Commanders, Constables, Ecclesiastical
Authorities, Family Patriarchs, Nobles.
Specialties: Commands, Compelling, Friendly, Noble,
Oratory, Pious, Stern.
Legerdemain
Legerdemain is ability to perform feats of manual dexterity,
ranging from picking a purse from a belt, to juggling and
feats of trickery such as palming objects. It encompasses the
stealth and concealment involved in using that dexterity
without being noticed, such as when palming an object or
performing a conjuring trick.
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1 Dot: Novice: You’ve sometimes taken very small items
when nobody was looking and gotten away with it.
2 Dots: Practiced: You can rob alms boxes and steal from
blind beggars with impunity, and you are good enough at
sleight-of-hand to entertain local gatherings.
3 Dots: Competent: You can gracefully make off with nearly
anything that isn’t nailed down, and you have the polished
manner of a professional entertainer, even if that’s not your
chosen livelihood.
4 Dots: Expert: When you perform your tricks, they seem
genuinely supernatural to most observers.
5 Dots: Master: People wonder if perhaps supernatural
powers are performing the thefts you commit, thanks to your
audacity and the lack of any clues left behind.
Possessed By: Beggars, Jesters, Minstrels, Robbers.
Specialties: Concealment, Conjuring Tricks, Juggling,
Picking Purses.
Subterfuge
Subterfuge is the ability to lie convincingly and to conceal
one’s own motives and feelings. It serves legitimate as well as
criminal purposes: Diplomats and even confessors sometimes
use it to draw out information from others.
1 Dot: Novice: You get away with small lies most of the
time.
2 Dots: Practiced: You’re seldom questioned about your
chosen explanations.
3 Dots: Competent: You maintain the trustworthy demeanor
of a professional thief and liar.
4 Dots: Expert: Even wise and noble souls are pawns in your
schemes.
5 Dots: Master: Whenever the accusations fly, you’re the last
one anyone doubts.
Possessed By: Courtiers, Charlatans, Heretics, Minstrels,
Spies, Wooers.
Specialties: Changing the Subject, Finding Weaknesses,
Flattery, Patter, Seduction, Selective Omission.
Skills
Skills are all arts that people learn through apprenticeship
or other disciplined instruction. It’s possible to attempt

actions covered by Skills without having enough training for
one dot’s worth of the Skill in question, but the roll suffers a
+1 difficulty penalty.
Animal Ken
Animal Ken is an understanding of beasts’ actions and
desires. It allows one to predict their behavior, control them
in difficult situations and train them.
1 Dot: Novice: You work well with domesticated animals.
2 Dots: Practiced: You understand the ways of all the
animals that are common in your vicinity, and you can train
those species most susceptible to it, such as horses and dogs.
3 Dots: Competent: You’re a skilled hunter and tracker, and
you work well even with difficult animals. Everyone in the
area knows you’re the one to come to when there’s animal
trouble.
4 Dots: Expert: No domesticated animal resists your will,
and most wild beasts regard you with at least some good will.
5 Dots: Master: People compare your spiritual harmony with
animals to Saint Francis’s.
Possessed By: Cavalry, Falconers, Grooms, Hermits, Kennel
Masters, Lords.
Specialties: Bears, Birds of Prey, Dogs, Farm Animals, Fish,
Horses, Rodents, Snakes.
Archery
Archery is the ability to use bows, the most common
ranged weapon of the era. Experienced archers also know how
to maintain and repair their weapons, and even how to make
them. Archery covers crossbows and other related weapons. It
does not cover spears or other thrown weapons. Using those
weapons requires Athletics.
1 Dot: Novice: You can shoot adequately as long as the
situation isn’t too distracting. You can maintain a bow, but
not repair it.
2 Dots: Practiced: You can hunt and fight competently with
the bow. You can maintain and repair a bow, but not craft a
new one.
3 Dots: Competent: You use a bow with grace and style,
and you can make weapons that are respected for their
craftsmanship.
4 Dots: Expert: Warlords and others who need superior
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archers seek you out.
5 Dots: Master: Neither distance, darkness nor anything else
seems capable of stopping your arrows from going precisely
where you want them to.
Possessed By: Bandits, Foresters, Guards, Poachers,
Tournament-Circuit Competitors.
Specialties: Ambush, Fields, Forests, Horseback, Hunting,
Moving Targets, Quick Shot, Target.
Commerce
Commerce is the ability to successfully bring goods to
market, with all that entails. It includes the ability to evaluate
goods and to identify who would want them, a knowledge of
trade routes and fairs and skill at negotiating prices.
Commerce is a catch-all Ability, and you should choose one
class of goods as a field of expertise when you first purchase
it. You can buy additional fields of expertise with experience
or bonus points within standard limits . You can use
Commerce outside your field of expertise to identify potential
markets and experts in the field and to negotiate and haggle
over just about anything. Evaluating an item or a trade route
with which you have no experience is beyond you, and it
counts as acting without the required Ability.
In the Dark Medieval, the line between legitimate and
illegitimate trade is blurry to non-existent, and Commerce
comes into play just as much when buying cheese as when
hiring a mercenary, soliciting a prostitute or selling stolen
goods. As such, Commerce conveys a general sense of the
shadier side of life — what modern folk might call being
streetwise.
1 Dot: Novice: You can get a fair price when you bring the
harvest to market.
2 Dots: Practiced: You can broker exchanges in your field of
expertise and know who in the vicinity deals in what trades,
legitimate or otherwise.
3 Dots: Competent: You can make a good living as a
merchant or moneylender. You can draw on the expertise of
those in other trades without difficulty.
4 Dots: Expert: You are one of the preeminent experts in
your field, and you are rarely (if ever) taken advantage of. No
market is closed to you.
5 Dots: Master: You are a master merchant, expert in
commerce spanning the continent.

Possessed By: Artisans, Farmers, Mercenaries, Ne’er-do
wells, Prostitutes, Traders
Specialties: Evaluation, Negotiation, Swindling, Trade Routes
Fields of Expertise: Clothing, Foodstuffs, Livestock,
Mercenaries, Relics, Silks, Slaves, Spices, Stolen Goods,
Wine, etc.
Crafts
Crafts is a catch-all Ability covering skill at making and
fixing things with your hands and evaluating such work by
others. Skilled craftsmen produce works known for their
beauty as well as their utility. You must choose a field of
expertise when you first purchase Crafts and buy additional
ones with experience or bonus points within standard limits.
You can use Crafts outside your field(s) of expertise to
undertake basic repairs and evaluate the craftsmanship and
condition of an object, but not to build anything new. Doing
so is considered acting without the required Ability.
In the Dark Medieval, the Crafts Skill covers what will in
later centuries become applied sciences such as engineering.
Architecture, metallurgy and so on are all fields of expertise
under Crafts.
1 Dot: Novice: You can repair broken goods and make gear
that more or less does what it’s supposed to.
2 Dots: Practiced: You can attend to the needs of people in
your immediate vicinity for the craft you know.
3 Dots: Competent: You can make a good living as an
artisan or craftsman, and you enjoy the respect of all who call
on your services.
4 Dots: Expert: You routinely make excellent goods that are
treasured widely for their elegance and durability.
5 Dots: Master: You’re one of the leading craftsmen in your
field, and you can pick and choose from clients across several
countries.
Possessed By: Artisans, Farmers, Ladies, Pilgrims, Soldiers,
Townsfolk
Specialties: Detail, Evaluation, Fast Work, Invention,
Metalworking, Organization, Sanitation
Fields of Expertise: Architecture, Armory, Blacksmithing,
Boat-Building, Jewelry, Masonry, Sewing & Embroidery,
Woodworking, etc.
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Etiquette
Etiquette is the understanding of social customs in one or
more cultures and the ability to behave as becomes one of
their members. Characters begin with this knowledge as it
applies to the land and class into which they were born.
Mastery of Etiquette encompasses speech, movement, dress,
furnishings and the like.
1 Dot: Novice: You avoid most social gaffes and seem
reasonably well behaved in the culture you know best.
2 Dots: Practiced: You can conduct yourself without
embarrassment in your culture’s version of high society.
3 Dots: Competent: You understand principles of social
organization well enough to respond calmly to unexpected and
unfamiliar circumstances.
4 Dots: Expert: Lords and bishops admire your conduct.
5 Dots: Master: You set the standard to which others try to
hew.
Possessed By: Children, Courtiers, Envoys, Guild Masters,
Handmaidens, Heralds, Nobles
Specialties: Courtly Manners, Family Traditions, Foreign
Customs, Peasants, Professional Conduct, Street Culture
Melee
Melee is the ability to fight with hand-to-hand weapons,
from sticks and clubs to swords and more exotic weapons,
depending on the details of the character’s training. Like
Archery, Melee includes the ability to maintain one’s weapons
(and even to make them), but manufacturing metal weapons
requires Crafts.
1 Dot: Novice: You can handle simple weapons and any
weapons that are particularly popular in the area where you
grew up. You can maintain but not repair a weapon.
2 Dots: Practiced: You can fight moderately well with
common weapons. You can do basic repairs on an axe or
other simple melee weapon.
3 Dots: Competent: You know how to use a variety of
weapons well, and you can make a living as a professional
soldier if you choose. You can do basic repairs on a sword or
more complex melee weapon. You can manufacture simple
melee weapons.
4 Dots: Expert: You routinely distinguish yourself in battles,
tournaments and other martial displays.

5 Dots: Master: Everyone who uses your favored weapons
knows your deeds — which may breed challenges as well as
respect.
Possessed By: Barbarians, Guards, Lords, Soldiers, Thieves
Specialties: Axes, Clubs, Disarms, Knives, Multiple
Opponents, Rapid Draws, Swords, Team Tactics
Performance
Performance is the ability to perform artistic feats. It covers
both the technical aspects of the chosen form of expression
and the social knowledge of what audiences like. Performance
is a catch-all Ability, and you should choose a field of
expertise when you first purchase it. You can buy additional
fields of expertise with experience or bonus points.
Performance is useful outside your field of expertise to
evaluate another’s skill.
1 Dot: Novice: You can entertain friends and family when
more skillful alternatives aren’t available.
2 Dots: Practiced: You take part in local entertainments on
a regular basis, and you do fairly well at them.
3 Dots: Competent: You can make a living as an
entertainer, and you enjoy a reputation as a good one to call
upon.
4 Dots: Expert: Your fellow performers study your work
carefully. The masses flock to see you in your specialty.
5 Dots: Master: You can pick and choose your audiences,
and you are always in demand almost everywhere you go.
Possessed By: Musicians, Troubadours, Actors, Ladies,
Spinsters, Monks and Nuns
Specialties: Bawdy, Composition, Courtly
Fields of Expertise: Acting, Dance, Percussion, Singing,
Stringed Instruments, Wind Instruments
Ride
Ride is the ability to travel astride a horse or other riding
animal, keeping it under control in varying circumstances.
Experienced riders can fight from horseback, tend horses’
common ailments and evaluate the quality of their mounts
and related gear.
1 Dot: Novice: You can get around on a good mount as
long as things don’t get complicated.
2 Dots: Practiced: You can hunt, chase and sustain long
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rides safely, if not always comfortably.
3 Dots: Competent: Horses hold very few surprises for you,
and you can fight from horseback without penalty.
4 Dots: Expert: You can engage in fancy stunts and keep
your horse calm and healthy in the midst of dangerous,
rapidly changing situations. You’re the one who gets called on
when most people fall and fail.
5 Dots: Master: Alexander the Great and his Bucephelas
were no closer than you are with your favored steeds, as
troubadours routinely remind their audiences.
Possessed By: Circuit Officials, Crusaders, Huntsmen,
Knights, Merchants, Messengers, Nobles, Travelers
Specialties: Combat, Forest, Jumping, Speed, Stealth,
Stunts
Stealth
Stealth is the ability to move without alerting others — to
enter without permission, remain undetected while about one’s
self-appointed business and to leave without creating a stir.
You generally roll this Skill in combination with Dexterity
against observers’ Perception + Alertness. It does not cover
sleight-of-hand, which is the domain of Legerdemain.
1 Dot: Novice: You can make your way through familiar
places without attracting attention as long as no one’s
searching very actively for you.
2 Dots: Practiced: You can hide yourself fairly well in
familiar places, and you can hide reasonably well in unfamiliar
places that are related to something you know, such as any
church following the standard orientation.
3 Dots: Competent: You move in mysterious ways, and it
takes dedicated effort to keep you out of most places you’d
like to go.
4 Dots: Expert: You enjoy the reputation of being able to
bypass almost all barriers… which makes you a frequent target
of suspicion, as well as valuable to those who have need of
stealthy allies.
5 Dots: Master: You feature in ballads of master thieves,
questing knights who make their way into the Grail Castle
and others who triumph over all obstacles. Your gift seems
holy or wicked depending on how you apply it.
Possessed By: Burglars, Hunters, Scouts, Shy People, Spies
Specialties: Crawling, Crowds, Prowl, Shadows, Wilderness,
Tracking

Survival
This is the ability to cope with the challenges of harsh
environments: shelter, navigating to civilization, foraging for
food and water, hunting and so on. It includes knowledge of
the common threats posed by a particular sort of wilderness,
such as forest or swamp. Stealth rolls in wilderness cannot
include more dice from Stealth than the character has dots in
Survival.
1 Dot: Novice: You can cope with the routine challenges of
whatever sort of wilderness was closest to your home.
2 Dots: Practiced: You won’t starve in most environments,
though it won’t be comfortable until you get to the next
settlement.
3 Dots: Competent: You can get yourself and others to
safety in most circumstances, and you can make an effective
living off the fruits of hunting, trapping and the like.
4 Dots: Expert: You can blaze new paths through unbroken
wilderness and cope with almost any challenge that the natural
world can throw at you.
5 Dots: Master: The dark powers of the night (and day) in
the lands beyond civilization hold no terror for you.
Possessed By: Bandits, Barbarians, Crusaders, Penitents,
Pilgrims, Refugees
Specialties: Coasts and Shallows, Deep Sea, Deserts,
Foraging, Forests, Hunting, Marshes and Swamps,
Mountains, Tracking, Trailblazing
Knowledges
Knowledges are Abilities that require intellectual mastery of
information. They almost always require rolls with Mental
Traits, though some other sort of Attribute may prove useful
occasionally. Apart from the most general popular lore,
characters who lack dots in a particular Knowledge can’t even
attempt an action requiring it.
Academics
Academics covers the standard curriculum of the Middle
Ages: the trivium of grammar, rhetoric and dialectic and the
quadrivium of arithmetic, music, geometry and astronomy.
Anyone who attends university learns the lore of the world
divided into these two categories. Any character who acquired
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AD. 12 1 3
Academics within the last 300 years must choose the trivium
or quadrivium as an initial field of expertise (and can acquire
the other one later). Only truly exceptional characters, such as
vampires who were created before the rise of medieval
universities or self-taught firstborn fae, can escape this
requirement. Any other categories seem strange at best (and
actively suspicious at worst) to conventionally educated
people.
Your character must know Latin, requiring Linguistics 1, to
acquire the second dot in Academics.
1 Dot: Dabbler: You know rudimentary Latin and the most
fundamental authorities in your field of expertise.
2 Dots: Student: You can construct solid arguments, and
you know some of the important commentaries in each area
your expertise covers.
3 Dost: Learned: You can make a living instructing others.
You know some Greek and possibly other languages in
addition to Latin, and your own commentaries and glosses
earn the respect of your peers.
4 Dots: Scholar: Lay people admire your mind, but they
may feel that you’ve neglected the rest of life for the sake of
learning. You can confidently advise potentates on important
matters.
5 Dots: Master: Any library on the subjects in which you
specialize seems inadequate without your works.
Possessed By: Court Officials, Monks, Priests, Scribes,
Tutors
Specialties: Instruction, Quoting Text, Research
Fields of Expertise: Trivium, Quadrivium
Hearth Wisdom
This is the lore of the people, as opposed to the academy.
It’s unsystematic, but in its haphazard way, it covers the body
of knowledge accumulated by peasants, traders and other
people who do not benefit from servants or live in isolation.
It includes mundane matters such as which plants and animals
are safe to eat in the area, which herbs are good for cooking
and for medicinal purposes, signs of impending bad (or
good) weather, rules of thumb for resolving domestic disputes
and the folk wisdom regarding the dangers (supernatural and
otherwise) of the night. Unlike other Knowledges, those
characters without Hearth Wisdom can attempt feats that
require it, but they do so at a +2 difficulty. Despite its

diversity of topics, Hearth Wisdom is not a catch-all Ability
with fields of expertise.
1 Dot: Dabbler: You know all the common fireside tales of
your home and you can recall them at need.
2 Dots: Student: You know the obscure and traditional lore
of your region, and very little — even if it’s strange and
dangerous — takes you by surprise within the fields you know.
3 Dost: Learned: You quickly acquire the lore of any area
you pass through, and others know that when the unseen
world makes itself visible, you’re the one who most likely
knows what to do about it.
4 Dots: Scholar: You are famous for your knowledge of
mysterious affairs, and some fear you because of the potential
for pacts with dark forces that your explorations afford.
5 Dots: Master: Your supreme insights into strange matters
make you the target of pleas from individuals both high and
low who suffer mysterious depredations.
Possessed By: Farmers, Herbalists, Hermits, Magicians,
Matrons, Village Elders, Witches
Specialties: By county or region (southern France, northern
France, England, Bavaria, etc.), and Arabic, Cures, Jewish,
Omens, Wards
Investigation
Investigation is the ability to systematically examine one’s
environment and analyze the results. It’s the central tool for
judicial inquiries, religious searches for heresy and the like. It
includes a grasp of the principles of research as well as an eye
for detail.
1 Dot: Dabbler: You regularly see things that others miss,
and it’s hard for the people of your home to keep secrets if
you choose to seek them out.
2 Dots: Student: You know how to extract information from
others without alarming them, and you can unravel many
mysteries.
3 Dost: Learned: You can make a living as a professional
investigator for religious or secular purposes, and even if you
practice some other trade, your acuity is widely respected.
4 Dots: Scholar: The most complex and best-concealed
matters unravel themselves when you confront them.
5 Dots: Master: When all other means fail and the holy
saints do not choose to intervene directly with supernatural
revelations, people who are bedeviled by mysteries turn to
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you.
Possessed By: Bounty Hunters, Confessors, Constables,
Judges, Parents, Spies, Tax Collectors
Specialties: Accounting, Locate Informant, Record-Keeping,
Search, Stalking
Law
Law is the body of knowledge about justice and its
applications to practical affairs. In the Dark Medieval world,
Law covers two wildly different subjects: the organic (not to
mention chaotic and contradictory) accumulation of common
law based on case by-case rulings, and the rigorous, academic
tradition grounded in Roman law and guided by logic and
theology. The higher a character’s social rank is, the more the
latter dominates. Canon law, the religious law of the Church,
draws primarily on Roman law for its assumptions and
principles of development, and scholars in canon law have a
significant advantage in familiarity when issues of Roman-
based secular law arise. The same applies to secular legalists
trying to deal with canon law.
1 Dot: Dabbler: You know all the important laws of your
home and a good sample of the less important or less
frequently invoked ones.
2 Dots: Student: You can defend yourself and your
comrades against most charges, and you know the grounds on
which to accuse others, as long as you’ve had a while to
study the laws of the area.
3 Dost: Learned: You can make a living as a lawyer or
advisor to a court, secular or religious depending on your
specialization. People in your vicinity seek you out for legal
advice.
4 Dots: Scholar: Your views on the proper application of
law shape practice in wide-ranging areas.
5 Dots: Master: You’re revered as one of the great legal
theorists of the age.
Possessed By: Constables, Criminals, Judges, Kings, Lords
Specialties: Canon Law, Diplomacy, Feudal Obligations,
Laws of Ownership and Inheritance, Local Law, Sentencing
Linguistics
Linguistics is the knowledge of languages other than the
one most common in a character’s childhood. Every character

begins with one language for free. Growing mastery of
Linguistics covers the principles underlying languages, their
relations and evolution as well as the contents of specific
tongues. Dark Medieval Europe is a warren of dialects and
regional tongues, but (at the Storyteller’s discretion) you can
assume that skill in one major language comes with
understanding of its major variants and dialects. Major
languages include Latin, Occitan, French (or Francien),
English (Middle English), Castilian, the various Italian
dialects, the various Germanic dialects, Greek and many
more.
1 Dot: Dabbler: One extra language.
2 Dots: Student: Two extra languages.
3 Dost: Learned: Four extra languages.
4 Dots: Scholar: Six extra languages.
5 Dots: Master: 12 extra languages.
Possessed By: Diplomats, Dock Workers, Interpreters,
Merchants, Priests, Scholars, Travelers
Specialties: Diplomacy, Politics, Profanity, Technical Terms,
Theology
Medicine
Medicine is the lore of the human body (and, to a lesser
degree, the body as transformed by vampirism, lycanthropy
and other exotic conditions). Depending on a character’s
particular inclination, it may cover both practical relief of
trauma and injury, as well as the academic tradition based in
Greek and Roman scholarship, which is often greatly
mistaken about the realities of anatomy and physiology.
Medicine also covers the knowledge of which herbs and
plants are useful for remedying ills.
1 Dot: Dabbler: You can fix minor wounds and help people
recover from fevers, minor infections and the like.
2 Dots: Student: You can deal with most common
problems, not providing luxury or instant relief from misery
but at least keeping people alive long enough for normal
healing to run its course.
3 Dost: Learned: You can make a living as a surgeon or
other medical professional. If you do something else for a
living, such as mercenary soldiering, you nonetheless regularly
get requests for aid.
4 Dots: Scholar: If you devote yourself to treating others,
the area in which you live enjoys a particular reputation for
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AD. 12 1 3
health and prosperity. You often achieve new insights into
pressing medical problems.
5 Dots: Master: Popular accounts describe how you and the
spirit of Hippocrates work together to cheat the imps of Hell
from the dying souls they’d otherwise claim.
Possessed By: Apothecaries, Barbers, Field Surgeons, Ladies,
Midwives, Squires
Specialties: Battle Wounds, Childbirth, Diagnosis, Disease,
First Aid, Herbs, Minor Surgery, Poison Treatment
Occult
Occult encompasses all the lores of supernatural power,
most especially those that derive from formal studies,
experimentation and treaties (and hence beyond Hearth
Wisdom). Occult generally provides a more focused body of
knowledge, with a somewhat higher ratio of truth to error and
distortion, but inevitably one field bleeds into the next.
Occultists can and do acquire smatterings of information
about a great many subjects. The higher a character’s Occult
score is, the more generally reliable the results of his Occult
rolls are. There is a certain overlap between Occult and
Theology when it comes to a knowledge of the powers of
saints or recognizing the miraculous.
1 Dot: Dabbler: You know the general framework of the
good and evil (and neutral) powers at work in your area.
2 Dots: Student: You understand many things about the
supernatural world. You may have had some direct experience
with supernatural beings, though you likely misunderstood at
least some of what happened to you.
3 Dost: Learned: You’re known as a scholar of the
mysterious, regarded with a hopelessly tangled mixture of fear
and respect by those who need you to explain the supernatural
to them. You may have regular contact with some sort of
supernatural being.
4 Dots: Scholar: The mysteries of the night society lie open
before you. If you possess any significant social rank, some
secular or religious authority probably wants you as an
advisor.
5 Dots: Master: The demon named Legion may seek you
out for a second try at defeating the age’s holiest man, but it
won’t win.
Possessed By: Heretics, Inquisitors, Judges, Magicians,
Pagans, Priests, Satanists, Witch- Hunters

Specialties: Ancient Secrets, Paganism, Sufism,
Thaumaturgy, Vampires, Witches, Daemons, Daedroths,
Ghosts, etc.
Politics
Politics is the theory and practice of governance: what
ancient and modern governors have written and how people
respond to authority of various sorts. It includes insights into
how people gain power, how they maintain it and how they
lose it. High levels of Politics include more theory and more
information about the practices of realms far from home.
1 Dot: Dabbler: You know how things work in your home
community, and you can usually use the local system to get
what you want.
2 Dots: Student: You deal confidently with the authorities if
you’re outside the hierarchy, or confidently with the governed
populace if you hold some local office.
3 Dost: Learned: You know how to make use of the
hierarchy at every level that touches your existence, and you
can conduct yourself effectively whenever you need to deal
with political matters.
4 Dots: Scholar: You’re known widely as a competent
governor or advisor, and your comments garner widespread
respect.
5 Dots: Master: People look to you as a modern Plato or
Cicero.
Possessed By: Counselors, Courtiers, Heralds, Jesters, Lords
Specialties: City, Feudal Obligations, Heraldry, Historical,
Religious
Seneschal
Seneschal is the ability to administer holdings, from
households to kingdoms. It covers the knowledge of physical
assets and their needs, from crop harvesting to the
maintenance of buildings, and the social skills to coordinate
others’ labor, resolve disputes, keep those who must be paid
satisfied and so on. A skilled seneschal can evaluate the state
of others’ holdings based on personal experience and
theoretical knowledge, too.
1 Dot: Dabbler: You can keep your family’s household going
smoothly and manage a few other resources as long as there’s
no intense pressure or stress.
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AD. 12 1 3
2 Dots: Student: You can manage a business or manor and
keep almost everyone involved reasonably happy.
3 Dost: Learned: You successfully oversee multiple properties
over an extended area, even in times of war, famine and other
calamity.
4 Dots: Scholar: Rulers know that they can give you custody
of their lands and goods and get them back in better
condition than you received them.
5 Dots: Master: Preachers illustrate the contemporary
significance of the parable of the talents with stories of your
accomplishments.
Possessed By: Innkeepers, Knights, Lords, Seneschals,
Stewards, Wives
Specialties: Common Households, Farms, Feudal Estates,
Inheritance, Noble Households, Religious Orders, Urban
Holdings
Theology
Theology is the lore of the queen of the sciences, the study
of God’s will in all things. It combines historical scholarship
with logic and a measure of artistic expression. Theology by
itself does not make a character articulate, but it can provide
the information necessary for effective persuasion, and it’s
crucial in evaluating many social matters. Nothing human or
physical lies outside the scope of God’s commandments, as
heretics and the orthodox agree, and there is a theological
dimension to political, economic and other disagreements.
Keep in mind that, for medieval people, this is not a matter
of unfounded supposition and personal conviction, but of
knowable truths susceptible to reasoned analysis. It is as
rigorous a matter as medicine or ballistics.
1 Dot: Dabbler: You know the major tenets of whatever faith
prevails in your home, and you grasp the essential spirit of
common doctrines even when you’re unclear on details.
2 Dots: Student: You know holy writ and important
teachings, past and present.
3 Dost: Learned: You can debate the technical points of
right belief, as you understand it, and readily understand the
beliefs of others even when you disagree with them.
4 Dots: Scholar: Heretics and infidels fear to contest with
you, and you’re a pillar of the community of faith wherever
you are.
5 Dots: Master: You are a latter-day Saint Paul or Saint
 AD. 12 1 3

Peter, depending on whether you turn your attention primarily Weapons: Spear, arming sword or falchion, knife, possibly
to winning unbelievers’ hearts or ministering to the needs of dagger, Str 6-8 crossbow with goat’s foot lever and
those who already believe. broadhead bolts
Possessed By: Devout Laymen, Heretics, Magicians, Monks, Armor: Mail or early mail, mail coif, possibly nasal helmet
Priests, Troubadours or kettle hat, rimmed kite shield or metal heater.
Specialties: Confession, Debate, Exposition, Heresy,
Orthodoxy CITY THUG
Weapons: Club, knife, possible dagger, possibly tool axe,
possible small mace
Armor: Heavy clothing, heavy cap

Backgrounds COUNTRY BANDIT

Backgrounds measure a character's background in ways that
aren’t as innate as Attributes or Abilities. Presented here is a
number of Background Templates of weapons, armor and
merits for various types of people. They can be used as
antagonists, allies, retainers, etc.
PEASANT CONSCIPT
Weapons: Spear, knife, possibly sling with sling stones or
self bow with bodkin arrows
Armor: Heavy clothing, heavy cap
PEASANT MILITIA
Weapons: Spear or peasant polearm, knife, sling with sling
stones or self bow with broadhead arrows
Armor: Padded armor, padded cap, unrimmed targe or
unrimmed round shield
BURGHER CONSCIPT
Weapons: Tool axe or dagger, knife
Armor: Heavy clothing, possibly heavy cap
Weapons: Spear or hand axe, self bow or longbow with
bodkin arrows, possibly broadhead arrows
Armor: Heavy clothing or padded armor, heavy cap or
padded cap
PIRATE, SEA OR RIVER
Weapons: Hand axe or battle axe, knife, possibly spear
Armor: Heavy clothing or padded armor, heavy cap or
padded cap, possibly unrimmed round shield
SAILOR, SHIP OR RIVERBOAT
Weapons: Knife, tool axe, possibly sling with sling stones
or self bow with bodkin arrows
Armor: Possibly heavy clothing
CITY WATCHMAN
Weapons: Spear, knife, possibly club or small mace,
possibly dagger
Armor: Padded armor or early mail, mail coif or kettle hat
(possibly with mail coif), unrimmed targe

BURGHER MILITIA CASTLE/CATHEDRAL GUARD

Weapons: Spear or small mace or hand axe or shortsword
or low-quality arming sword, knife, possibly dagger, possibly
Str 5-6 crossbow with stirrup and bodkin bolts
Armor: Padded armor, padded cap or low-quality nasal
helmet or low-quality kettle hat, unrimmed targe or unrimmed
round shield
WEALTHY BURGER MILITIA
Weapons: Spear, mace or battle axe or arming sword, knife,
possibly Str 8-9 crossbow with goat’s foot lever or cranequin
and broadhead bolts
Armor: Early mail or mail armor, mail coif, possibly kettle
hat or nasal helmet, unrimmed or rimmed kite shield
HUNTER/POACHER
Weapons: Longbow or Str 8 crossbow with stirrup or

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goat’s foot lever and broadhead bolts, hand axe or battle axe POOR KNIGHT
or shortsword, knife Weapons: Lance, flanged mace or battle axe or arming
Armor: Heavy clothing, heavy cap sword, knife, possibly dagger
Armor: Early mail or low-quality mail armor or low quality
PILGRIM knight’s armor, nasal helmet and mail coif or lowquality full
Weapons: Quarterstaff (possibly metal-shod), knife, possibly helm and mail coif, heater or low-quality metal heater
small mace or hand axe
Armor: Possibly heavy clothing, possibly heavy cap KNIGHT
Weapons: Lance, flanged mace or battle axe or arming
JOURNEYMAN CRAFTSMAN sword, knife, dagger
Weapons: Quarterstaff, knife, possibly tool axe, possible Armor: High quality mail armor or knight’s armor, full
hand axe or small mace helm and mail coif, heater or metal heater
Armor: Heavy clothing, possibly heavy cap
RICH KNIGHT
TRAVELING MERCHANT Weapons: Lance, flanged mace or battle axe or arming
Weapons: Arming sword or high-quality spatha, knife, sword (all of high quality), knife, dagger
possibly dagger, possibly Str 5-6 crossbow with stirrup or Armor: Knight’s armor (possibly high quality), full helm
goat’s foot lever and bodkin bolts and mail coif (possibly high quality), metal heater (possibly
Armor: Padded armor or leather lamellar, padded cap or high quality)
nasal helmet, possibly unrimmed round shield or unrimmed
kite shield LORD (BARON, COUNT, ETC)
Weapons: Lance, flanged mace or battle axe or arming
MERCENARY CROSSBOWMAN sword (all of high quality), knife, dagger
Weapons: Str 9 crossbow with goat’s foot lever or Armor: High quality knight’s armor, high quality full helm
cranequin and broadhead bolts (possibly armor piercing and mail coif, metal heater (possibly high quality)
bolts), short sword or hand axe or battle axe or flanged mace,
knife, possibly dagger MONGOL HORSEMAN
Armor: Leather lamellar or early mail or mail armor, kettle Weapons: Composite bow with broadhead arrows, lance or
hat (possibly with mail) spear, curved sword or flanged mace or battle axe, knife
Armor: Leather or iron lamellar or iron lorica squamata or
MERCENARY FOOTMAN iron early mail, nasal helmet, rimmed targe
Weapons: Spear or battle axe or flanged mace, knife,
dagger EASTERN EUROPEAN TRIBESMAN
Armor: Early mail or mail armor, kettle hat and mail coif, Weapons: Iron or steel spear or Dane axe, short sword or
unrimmed or rimmed kite shield dagger or spatha, knife, self bow or longbow with bodkin or
broadhead arrows or 2-3 javelins
MERCENARY SERJEANT Armor: Padded armor or iron early mail, padded cap or
Weapons: Spear, possibly lance, flanged mace or battle axe iron spangelhelm, possibly unrimmed or rimmed round shield
or arming sword, knife, dagger
Armor: Early mail or mail armor, nasal helmet and mail
coif, rimmed kite shield or heater

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 AD. 12 1 3

spite of grave injury

Regaining Willpower: Running out of Willpower is a very
Variable Traits bad thing for characters. It’s hard for a character with zero
temporary Willpower to do much of anything.
Each of these traits shares a quality that sets it apart from † Acting In Accordance with Nature: Characters regain one
the others you’ve defined for your character so far: or more points of temporary Willpower when acting in
accordance with their Natures
† Resting: At the Storyteller’s discretion, characters can
Willpower regain one Willpower as they rise from sleep. This gain
Willpower measures a character’s determination — not reflects the renewed determination that comes with rest.
courage precisely, nor conscience, but everything that leads to † Triumphing: At the Storyteller’s discretion, characters can
persistence in the face of adversity and to effort that regain one or more points of temporary Willpower upon
transcends her normal limits in a moment of supreme crisis. achieving some outstanding goal or victory.
The permanent rating indicates your character’s overall will
in much the way other traits function. It serves as a dice pool
when you must roll Willpower, and it can be increased with Virtues
experience.
The Virtue Traits define a character's outloo - they shape a
1 Dot: Spineless character's ethical code and describe his commitment to his
2 Dots: Weak chosen morality.
3 Dots: Unassertive
4 Dots: Diffident Conscience
5 Dots: Certain Conscience is a Trait that allows characters to evaluate their
conduct with relation to what is "right" and "wrong." A
6 Dots: Confident
character's moral judgment with Conscience stems from her
7 Dots: Determined attitude and outlook.
8 Dots: Controlled Conscience factors into the difficulty of many rolls to avoid
9 Dots: Iron-Willed committing a transgression. Additionally, Conscience
10 Dots: Unshakable determines whether or not a character loses Morality by
committing acts that do not uphold her moral code. A
Spending Willpower: Willpower serves several very useful character with a high Conscience score feels remorse for
purposes in Dark Ages, so your character’s temporary transgressions, while a character with a lower Conscience may
Willpower score is likely to move up and down faster than be a bit more callous or ethically lax.
any other trait.
† Ensuring Success: Spend one temporary Willpower point 1 Dot: Uncaring
to get an automatic success on a single roll. You can spend 2 Dots: Normal
only one Willpower this way for a particular action and 3 Dots: Ethical
modify only one action in a single turn this way. 4 Dots: Righteous
† Maintaining Sanity: Spend one temporary Willpower point 5 Dots: Remorseful
to restrain a derangement from manifesting for the rest of the
current scene. Using Willpower thus repeatedly can weaken
most derangements over time and even eventually cure them. Self-Control
† Overcoming Injury: Spend one temporary Willpower point Self-Control defines a character's discipline and mastery
to ignore wound penalties as described under Health for one over their instincts. Characters with high Self Control rarely
turn. Doing so allows your character to take heroic actions in
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 AD. 12 1 3

succumb to emotional urges, and are thus able to restrain 1 Dot: Timid
their darker sides more readily than characters with low Self 2 Dots: Normal
Control. 3 Dots: Bold
1 Dot: Unstable 4 Dots: Resolute
2 Dots: Normal 5 Dots: Heroic
3 Dots: Temperate
4 Dots: Hardened
Focus
5 Dots: Total self-mastery
Focus is a special trait based on Conscience. It allows the
character to draw upon their ethereal forces through their
Courage determination, and project it outward.
All characters have a Courage Trait. Courage is the quality 1 Dot: Directing
that allows characters to stand in the face of fear or daunting 2 Dots: Influential
adversity. It is bravery, mettle and stoicism combined. A 3 Dots: Controlling
character with high Courage meets her fears head-on, while a
4 Dots: Commanding
character of lesser Courage may flee in terror.
5 Dots: Mastering

Wisdom
Wisdom is a special trait based on Self-Control. The
character's ability to handle himself in extreme circumstances
is also the skill needed to perceive into the spirit, and by
such weave the aether through that insight.
1 Dot: Thoughtful
2 Dots: Insightful
3 Dots: Learned
4 Dots: Enlightened
5 Dots: Transcendent

Power
Power is a special trait based on Courage. The power of
personality and presence draw the ethereal energies into raw
force.
1 Dot: Dedicated
2 Dots: Competent
3 Dots: Commited
4 Dots: Relentless
5 Dots: Unstoppable

Aether
26

This is the essential energy that give the Witchhunters their
powers. Beginning characters start with a Permanent Aether
rating which may be raised with freebie points. Aether comes
in two varieties: permanent and temporary. Just like
Willpower. Temporary Aether may be used to heal and use
Endowments.
Aether is recovered at a rate of one temporary Aether per
day of activity, or every one hour of rest.
† Aether: Beginning characters start with a temporary Aether
rating equal to their Courage. There is no upper limit for the
permanent Aether rating.
† High Trait Limits: Over the course of time, Witchhunters
may raise their traits past the normal human limit to a
maximum rating of 8. At these levels Attributes, witchhunters
gain special bonuses.
† Sense Aether: The Witchhunter can automatically sense
ethereal energy within the area (20 yards radius per Perception
dots), but not the exact location of the source, only its
nearby presence.
† Healing: Aether allows a Witchhunter to recover quickly
from injury: 1 Bashing Wound each hour of rest; or one
Lethal Wound each 12 hours.
Endowments
In the cold, dark dungeon-labs of the Dark Cathedral, men
are made into monsters for the greater good of humanity.
Some Witchhunters might carry bizarre mystical artifacts or
learn blasphemous rites of arcane power, but all Witchhunters
actually take monster-replicated organs and put them inside
their own bodies, gaining some of their powers through
biological implants and poisonous eather-infused blood.
Endowments are the most invasive category of medical
knowledge ever known to mankind, and while some
Witchhunters in the field might appreciate the edges these
biomedical defilements give them, few are entirely comfortable
with the concept of replacing organs with artificial grown
copies of those of monsters, or to have unnatural and often
lethal substances from the beyond infused into their flesh and
blood.
Different types of Endowments have been made, all
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functioning in similar ways so as to be labeled with call-
names. A subject can literally tell a Cathedral surgeon for a
“Vitality” Endowment, and everyone knows what procedures
are to be made.
Vitality
Tier l
A Witchhunter with tier one of Vitality is tougher and
better able to withstand physical pain. Relatively minor
wounds no longer inflict more than mild discomfort.
The character gains an additional Bruised (OK) health
level, permanently.
Tier ll
Moving beyond mere pain tolerance, a Witchhunter with
tier two is able to function more fully while suffering from
debilitating wounds.
The character gains an additional health level, Battered (-1
penalty) permanently. This health level is placed below Hurt.
Battered characters are pretty beat up, halving Dexterity
(round down) when calculating running speed.
Tier lll
Once the third tier of this Vitality is attained, a
Witchhunter can literally withstand torturous punishment
without suffering more than a minor reduction in his physical
faculties.
The character gains an additional health level, Beaten (-1
penalty) permanently, which is placed below Injured. A
character who has been Beaten has suffered moderate injuries,
and cannot run (although she may still move at Jogging or
Walking speeds).
Additionally, the character is not considered stunned unless
she suffers a number of health levels of damage from a single
attack equal to her Stamina + Vitality.
Tier lV
A Witchhunter who has attained tier four is seemingly able
to shrug off wounds that would cripple or paralyze a mortal.
The character gains an additional health level, Lacerated (-2
penalty) permanently. This health level is placed below
Wounded. A Lacerated character is seriously injured and can

only walk with a limping gait (movement is restricted to 5
yards/meters per turn).
Additionally, a number of successes equal to the character’s
Vitality rating are now required on any damage roll intending
to stale the character in combat.
Tier Vl
The Witchhunter may seem all but invincible to foes relying
on conventional weapons. An entire pack of ghouls could
unload waves of claws and teeth onto the Witchhunter’s body,
and probably only succeed in pissing her off.
The character gains an extra health level, Maimed (-3
penalty) permanently. This health level is placed below
Mauled. A Maimed character has been critically wounded, and
movement is restricted to 2 yards/meters per turn as the
character drags himself along, using nearby objects, furniture
and architecture to support his weight.
In addition, any lethal or bashing attack that fails to reduce
the character’s Health Level below Bruised inflicts no damage
whatsoever.
Endurance
Tier l
At this most basic level, the Witchhunter's skin thickens
and muscles harden, and is resistant to bruising. Any damage
which would move a Witchhunter from unhurt to bruised
simply has no effect.
Tier ll
At the cost of one point of Willpower, the Witchhunter is
able to ignore the effects of his wounds for one scene. This
power is reactionary in that, while requiring effort to use, it
does not take an action to activate.
Tier lll
By spending 1 point of Willpower per turn, a Witchhunter
may continue to remain active after reaching Incapacitated. All
wounds taken during this time are ignore, unless the wound is
Aggravated, which will kill the Witchhunter as normal. This
power is reactionary, and does not require an action to
activate. The player merely spends a Willpower point when
initiative is rolled to have the Witchhunter act that turn.
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Tier lV
Upon reaching this level of power, the Witchhunter may
totally detach themself from any pain at will, for as long as
required. This means that anything which would cause pain
still causes damage, but has no other effects. Upon releasing
the discipline again, the Witchhunter feels all of the intense
agony until all wounds are completely healed.
Tier Vl
Sturdy and resilient towards even the most harsh injuries,
the Witchhunter's body can reduce and/or negate the effect of
incomming damage with extraordinary success.
This power transforms lethal wounds into bashing wounds,
making it far easier to heal and resist. This requires a
Willpower roll at a penalty per wound level, as well as the
expendure of a Aether point. If she manages, all wound levels
become bashing and may be soaked normally.
Hunter
Tier l
This power sharpens all of the Witchhunter's senses,
effectively doubling the clarity and range of sight, hearing and
smell. While her senses of taste and touch extend no farther
than normal, they likewise become far more acute; the
Witchhunter could taste the hint of liquor in a sample of
blood, or feel the slightest give of the board concealing a
hollow space in the floor. The Witchhunter may magnify her
senses at will, sustaining this heightened focus for as long as
she desires.
No roll is necessary, but the change requires a full turn to
complete. All sensual Perception rolls are at a +2.
At a spending of a Aether point, this enhanced vision can
make the Witchhunter see perfectly well in pitch darkness,
not requiring a light source to notice details in even the
darkest basement or cave.
Tier ll
For each point of Willpower spent, all of the Witchhunter's
physical Attributes (Strength, Dexterity, Stamina) increase by
1 point. This boost lasts until the end of combat, and the
incresement bonus cannot surpass the level of power of the
Hunter enhancement.

Tier lll
Allows the Witchhunter to completely blend in with
whatever is behind them as a natural camouflage by spending
one Willpower point. Roll Manipulation + Stealth, the
number of successes subtracts from the number of successes
on other subject's Perception rolls to visually notice the
concealed Witchhunter.
Tier lV
The Witchhunter's Brawl attacks can now act as if the came
from the prey's natural weakness, such as silver for most were-
creatures.
Spend one Willpower point for each turn this power is in
effect.
Tier Vl
At final tier this aspect of the Hunter is truly an amazing
sight to behold in the final battle against the prey: able to
attack many times and able to do devastating damage and
withstand awesome amounts of damage.
3 points of Willpower must be spent. All physical
Attributes are increased by one. Additionally the Witchhunter
gains and additional soak and even lethal damage can be
soaked with Stamina as if bashing. In addition a +1 bonus
are gained on all combat rolls and all damage is increased by
+2.
This lasts (as usual) until the end of combat.
Alacrity
Tier l
By spending a point of Willpower, the Witchhunter may
dodge/parry any attack he is aware of without having to split
his roll up between them. This is a reactionary power, and
may be used any time the Witchhunter is being attacked.
Tier ll
By spending a point of Willpower, the Witchhunter may
move at tremendous speed. He may opt to go First during
the turn, regardless of what he rolled for initiative that turn.
This is a reactionary power, and may be used at anytime, if
the Witchhunter has not yet had his action, allowing him to
take it then.
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Tier lll
This amount of reflexive speed grants multiple actions. By
spending a point of Willpower, the Witchhunter may take
one extra Action this turn. Only current Willpower may be
spent this way. This is reactionary, and may be used any time
during the turn, after regular Actions.
Tier Vl
The Witchhunter can react to stimulus with superhuman
speed, fast enough in fact, to perform a move in the same
round as an opposing attack. For instance, the Witchhunter
can react fast enough to jump straight up as an opponent
swings his sword.
The player rolls Perception + Alertness. Only one success
is needed.
Tier lV
The Witchhunter can make a series of successive attacks
equal to the number of dexterity dots he has.
The only way the combo can work is if the character has
initiative on the first hit, and he must land the first hit. If he
misses the first hit, the combo is void. He spends 2
Willpower points to start the combo. If both of the above
criteria are met, the combo proceeds. Even if any attack after
the first fails, the combo will still proceed. The combo
doesn't do damage per hit, but as a whole. This damage is
equal to the number of hits that connect plus strength. The
opponent soaks all of the damage in one soak roll. This can
be a truly devastating attack.
Ex: Steven has 5 dots in dexterity. He decides to do a four
hit combo to a foe. He gains initiative and the first hit
lands. Therefore the combo proceeds. Unfortunately for his
opponent, he doesn't block any of the four attacks. Steven
has a strength of 4, so the damage done by the combo is 8
(4 + 4). The opponent soaks for 3 points of damage loosing
5 Health Levels. Now he is mauled.
Flesh-Knitters
Tier lll
As good as the Cathedral’s doctors are, they aren’t even
close to the recuperative abilities of some of the monsters
they utilize in their research. Some very strange alien-like
symbiotes have apparently managed to enter the physical

world from the aether. These tiny creatures are rather unique,
but the Cathedral have managed to get their hands on a few
and since then used them in alchemy processes to re-design
and breed-grow these tiny, hair-thin, red vein-like worms
themed; “flesh-knitters.” As far as the Witchhunters know,
they’re harmless, but the Witchhunters got hold of a few
through some very questionable means, and now their
surgeons in the dark dungeons have figured out how to
harness the things’ regenerative potentials and turn it loose on
the human body.
A Flesh-Knitter looks like tiny red thred, though they are
astral worms. When weaved into the body, they multiply over
time and manipulate the surrounding tissue, weaving and
kniting any destroyed tissue back together again.
In addition to being wounded, in order to stimulate the
Flesh-Knitters, the character must spend a Willpower point to
aggitade the symbiotic worms. Once activated, the knitters
heals the character’s injuries at a terrifying rate: one point of
bashing damage heals every turn, while one lethal wound
disappears every 3rd turns. This healing is reflexive, and the
accelerated healing rate lasts until all bashing and lethal
wounds have been healed. Once the character’s Health boxes
are entirely free of bashing or lethal wounds, the Flesh-
Knitters are completely spent of energy and cannot be used
again for 24 hours.
Spell Breaker
Tier l
With a quick ritual of protection, the Witchhunter can
focus her supernatural defense against outside forces,
heightening it for a brief moment.
This power costs one Aether but involves no roll. Upon
activating, the character gains a bonus to defense equal to her
Willpower (whether rolled by the Witchhunter or subtracted
from her attacker’s pool) against any powers that target her
for a single turn. This power is reflexive and needs to be
activated only once in a given turn to defend against all
powers used against the character during that turn. The bonus
remains until the end of the turn during which it was
activated, though it can be activated as a defensive action (like
going prone or dodging, the character can use the power prior
to her own point in the initiative roster). This power can be
activated after an enemy use a power against the Witchhunter.
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Tier ll
A ritual that banishes supernatural illusion, showing the user
what is real and what is an elaborate hoax. The Witchhunter
destroys illusions created by supernatural beings.
This requires one point of Aether and an Occult +
Wisdom roll. The number of successes required to dispel an
illusion is equal to the number of successes garnered by the
crafter of the illusion.
Once the target number is reached, the illusion is banished
and utterly destroyed. No character present is affected by it
thereafter. In the case of multiple illusions, the weakest is
banished first (when the character reaches the appropriate
number of successes for the illusion with the least successes,
it dispels); once an illusion has been dispelled, a character
must expend another point of Aether and begin the roll again
to banish further illusions.
Tier lll
Through the power of her aether-infused blood, the
Witchhunter banishes the all dark taint of the unnatural from
the target.
The character must touch the target to use this power.
This rite costs one point of Aether, and it requires an
Occult + Wisdom roll at a penalty equal to the caster's
number of successes on the initiate roll of the power. The
character removes a single supernatural effect from a target.
The effect must be something that magically affects the
victim.
This only cancels ongoing effects; powers that have a
permanent effect after they have been completed are not
affected.
Tier lV
Spell casters often traffic with ghosts and demons, binding
them to their will and using them as tools against the living.
Others create entities out of thin air or call to themselves
animals to guard them, twisting nature to their foul whim.
The Witchhunter can reject such abuses of both the material
and spiritual realms.
The Witchhunter must make an extended and contested roll
(Occult + Power), and spend a single point of Aether. Each
extended roll represents one turn. The character attempts to
garner successes equal to the target’s Willpower. The target’s
goal is equal to the character’s Occult + Power.

If he overcomes the being’s Willpower before it overcomes
his Occult + Power, he either drives it from a body it is
possessing or banishes it. A banished spirit returns to the
Astral Worlds and a banished ghost is locked within one of
its anchors. This effect lasts for one night per success the
Witchhunter achieves on the roll (though destroying a ghost’s
anchor while the ghost is locked within frees it, assuming that
the ghost possessed another anchor, otherwise, it vanishes).
Tier Vl
The most potent of the powers of the Spell Breaker. This
immediately ends a single supernatural effect. The
Witchhunter unleashing a powerful wave of energy that
disrupts other supernatural powers.
The character must spend a permanent Willpower point and
one Aether point and make a contested roll of Occult +
Power. On a success the targeted supernatural effect
immediatel ends. If the character scores 4 or more successes
all supernatural effects on the targeted character, item and
locale immediately ends.
This power can target all supernatural powers from any
supernatural entities. Furthermore, it can break the thralldom
of a character and even lift curses (these are considered two
different effects, necessitating two separate applications of the
power), though breaking a curse costs a permanent dot of
Willpower.
It can reverse changes made to the body for any purpose.
Though curses can be lifted, this power cannot remove
monster templates, such as curing vampirism, lycanthropy, etc.
Devil’s Eyes
Tier ll
Once these eyes have been implanted, they shift their
pigmentation and structure, becoming indistinguishable from
the natural eyes. No matter how bad the character’s eyes were
originally, Devil’s Eyes grant him perfect vision.
Devil’s Eyes aren’t really “eyes” in any biological sense;
while they are the sensory organs of the creature they come
from, they don’t really perceive the world the way a human’s
eyes do.
When active, the Eyes allow the character to perceive the
emotional auras surrounding other individuals. These auras
provide insight into a character’s emotional state, and can
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even reveal supernatural influences.
For every success on a Perception + Wits roll, the hunter
can clearly discern one aura color of one individual in her line
of sight. This costs one Willpower to activate.
Etheria
Tier l
This ability allows the Witchhunter to stimulate the Aether
in his body to partially submerge his body into the
netherworld. While he is riding the border between
netherworld and reality, he can move through spaces half as
small as he could normally.
Burn one Aether to activate this power. It lasts for about
half an hour.
Tier ll
This ability allows the Witchhunter to summon a piece of
the nether, binding it together with his weapon. This weapon
will cause aggravated wounds.
The Witchhunter spends Aether to infuse the nether into
the weapon. The Witchhunter must score three successes on a
Manipulation + Focus roll and spend a turn to infuse it
correctly. If the roll is botched, then the nether explodes in
the Witchhunter's hands, doing one Aggravated damage.
Tier lll
This ability allows a Witchhunter to instill nether into an
inanimate object. As a result, the object becomes vapor-like.
It doesn't blow away or separate; it just becomes non-solid,
kind of like a ghost.
The Witchhunter spends a turn and two Aether points to
instill an object in the nether and rolls Perception + Focus,
penalties depends on size of objects. The Witchhunter must
spend a Willpower point for every turn he wishes to keep an
object in this state.
Tier lV
At this level of mastery, a Witchhunter can begin to
navigate the nether. Using this power, he can quickly step
through the neitherworld, causing him to shift through the
space of the Interstice. A Witchhunter can effectively “step”
to anywhere within close proximity.
Costs 2 Aether to activate. Roll Perception + Willpower.

One success is required to move half a yard, each additional
success expands the travel distance by one yard. A botch
usually will have the effect of landing a Witchhunter in some
random direction and drain an additional Willpower point.
Tier Vl
Discorporate taken up a few notches. By instilling to great
an amount of the nether into an inanimate object, a
Witchhunter can make it extremely volatile. Objects that are
affected by this power will explode at almost the lightest
contact, indeed sometimes they blow up immediately.
Functions almost like Tier-2. This requires the Witchhunter
to spend three Aether points and all penalties are increased by
two. If more than three successes are scored, the Witchhunter
can decide to immediately detonate the object. When
exploded, the object shoots out astral force in a yard radius
equal to object's size, taking one Aggrevated damage for each
size level. Creatures may make a resisted Willpower vs.
Willpower roll against this ability.
Transcendence
Tier l
This power grants the silent movement of a ghost.
Whenever active, the Witchhunter only barely touches the
ground and thus leaves no footprints and makes no noise by
his footsteps.
This power does not help in sneaking through shadows, but
it will give the user a +1 per Successes on a Stealth roll if
sound is a factor.
Perhaps even more beneficial is the ability of the
Witchhunter to walk on surfaces that he "shouldn't" be able
to such as weak floorboards or climb weak branches on a
tree. The character must spend one point of- and roll
Willpower versus a penalty number of the ST's discretion
based on the suface that is to be walked over. The character
may move a number of yards over that surface equal to the
number of successes. A failure indicates the character falls
through. Each turn the roll may be done again.
Tier ll
This power is still in its infancy but the character becomes
able to leap unnatural distances which are considered utterly
impossible by mortal means. With this enhancement even
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falling poses less of a threat.
By spending a Willpower point, Transcendence increases the
normal jumping distance for each success on a Strength roll
(plus Athletics if the character gets a decent run up).
Horizontal jumps are at eight feet per success per level of
Transcendence. Vertical jumps have half the range of
horizontal ones.
Horizontal leaps are made at the running speed of the
character and thus it may take more than one turn to reach
the desired destination for exceptionally long bounds.
Falling is less hazardous to those with Transcendence, and a
secondary benefit is that falling causes one less lethal damage
per level of success on a Willpower roll.
Tier lll
The Witchhunter's ability to overcome gravity with this
enhancement has increased to the point where it is now
possible to crawl up the steepest of surfaces without any
difficulty. It is no problem to climb a wall, shin across the
ceiling and come back down to the ground on the other side.
For one Willpower and as long as three or more limbs are
in contact with a surface at all times, the Witchhunter can
negotiate it at walking speed without the need for rolls of any
kind. The smoothness of the surface is not important,
however the Storyteller may impose an Athletics + Strength
roll for lubricated surfaces.
The Witchhunter may wish to jump onto a vertical surface
from another wall, this tricky manoeuvre requires a roll of
Dexterity (plus Climb or Athletics) against a -2 penalty. It
also assumes that the Witchhunter was able to jump far
enough and actually reach the wall. If the roll is failed, the
Witchhunter simply fails to adhere to the wall....
Tier lV
With this level of enhancement, its almost as if his body is
divested of much of it's mass, greatly easing movement and
allowing to walk across the flimsiest of surfaces or even at
times, run across water itself.
Difficulties for Acrobatics, Stealth (in motion), Athletics,
Climbing and so forth are all at a +3. Dodging and Initiative
are considered as +1 bonus. The Witchhunter's mass may be
reduced to around 10% of it's original value, allowing it to be
supported by structures too weak to support others.
The Witchhunter can also now sprint across water by
 AD. 12 1 3

making a Willpower roll granting one yard/Dexterity of water-

running per success.

Tier Vl
This power allows the Witchhunter to temporarily reorient
their own personal gravity for a single turn, allowing him to
step up walls or make a jump to sit at the wall, jumping off
again or upwars to take a jumping start from the ceiling!
A Willpower point must be spent, and a single success on
a Dexterity + Athletics roll allows the user to redirect the
effect of gravity on themselves for a turn.
The Witchhunter must score three successes to make a full
movement along ceilings and walls. The effect normally lasts
only for a single turn unless an additional Willpower point is
expended to extend its duration by another turn.

Magnachi
Tier l
As focusing Aether requires an effort of will, it becomes
necessary to learn to regain and strengthen one's will even
faster.
The Witchhunter meditate and rolls Willpower, but each
success counts as two points of Willpower regained.
Tier ll
The Witchhunter has learned to alter the flow of Aether
within his body to enhance his martial abilities.
The Witchhunter spends 1 Willpower and rolls Wits +
Willpower. Each success adds +1 bonus to all Brawl, Dodge,
and Melee rolls for the next scene.
Tier lll
The Witchhunter can concentrate the Aether in his body to
anyplace he wishes, empowering the striking limb to burn
with an inner fire.
The Witchhunter spends 1 Willpower, and he may now do
Strength aggravated damage with his brawl attacks for the
next scene.
Tier lV
The Witchhunter has become advanced enough to work the
powers of Aether on his own form, enabling him to heal with
great speed.
This power remains on at all times. The Witchhunter may
now use the Aether within his blood more efficiently to heal
himself. Normal damage may be healed at 2 Levels per 1
Aether point. To heal aggravated, the Witchhunter spends 1
additional Willpower, and he may then heal each aggravated
for three Aether per level.
Tier Vl
The Witchhunter's enhancement of Magnachi has become
advanced enough to cause a negative void of the Aether within
supernatural entities. The Witchhunter can perform attacks
directly at an opponent's mystical power reserves or physical
body.
At the expense of one Willpower point, the Witchhunter
makes an attack roll. Each success provides one turn where
all damage points are dealt to the opponent's power fuel
aswell as their physical health. For example, a Witchhunter
doing Str+3 damage physically, also may do Str+3 drainage
to a warlock's mana pool, a vampire's blood pool, a
werewolf's gnosis, etc.
Potency
Tier l

33

The Witchhunter can evoke a strange aura around himself.
It is barely noticeable to the eye, but is faintly dark and quite
cold. Anyone who is close by the Witchhunter will feel a chill
and an eerie sense of foreboding, as though someone had
stepped on their grave. This power gives the Witchhunter and
automatic success on Intimidation rolls.
There is no roll, but a point of Aether must be spent to
activate this power.
Tier ll
It is rumored that some Witchhunters can actually move
unseen through the shadows. This level allows the
Witchhunter to move under a veil of deceptive Aether,
literally making the Witchhunter invisible to sight. The
Witchhunter could move in the open unseen even amidst a
crowd.
The Witchhunter spends a point of Aether to initiate the
effect, while hidden in shadow or darkness. The effect lasts
until called off, for a scene, or until detected, whatever comes
first. The character can move normally (i.e., run, swim, walk,
or even climb unseen).
Tier lll
Witchhunters with this level are able to tear the fabric of
the living lands and reach for the nether of the Umbra,
underlying the Interstice. The Witchhunter's attacks are
accompanied by the chilling and terrifying touch of the Abyss.
The Witchhunter must roll Strength + Power (penalty
equals the strength of the local veil) and spend one Aether
point. Each success adds a turn of which damage dealt by
weapon or brawl is aggravated. This pool diminishes each
turn by one, as the gap between worlds closes. A botch is
very dangerous, as it channels the winds of the Abyss within
the character, inflicting a level of aggravated damage per
botch rolled.
Tier lV
The Witchhunter can steal the lifeforce of a target to
replenish his Aether, at a distance of up to 3 yards away.
The Witchhunter rolls Willpower to determine the amount
of Aether taken. The victim rolls Willpower against the
Witchhunter's Willpower to soak this loss. Points lost are
first taken from their power trait (gnosis, mana, etc.), and
once that is gone, then from their wound levels. Each point
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the victim loses rejuvenates the Witchhunter, giving him one
Aether point. Damage dealt with this power is not aggravated
unless the user spends a Willpower point when making his
roll.
Tier Vl
The Witchhunter's touch can be made to carry the cold
grasp of undeath. Anyone else he touches after activating this
power takes aggravated damage and suffers from progressive
Attribute loss.
The Witchhunter must spend one Aether point to activate
this power, after which it will last for the entire scene or until
the Witchhunter chooses to release it. The Witchhunter's
touch deals an amount of damage to any creature he touches
equal to his current Willpower as well as any damage
normally incured. This damage is aggravated and soaked
separately but is applied before any damage dealt by the type
of contact made. If this power causes even one Wound Level
of damage then the victim contracts the Chill. Anything with
the Chill must make a Willpower roll with a -2 penalty after
they score any botches in a roll involving a Physical
Attribute. Failure indicating a loss of one point from that
Attribute. Lost Attribute points are regained at a rate of one
per day once the Chill is gone. The Chill is gone only once
the victim makes a successful Willpower roll -2, only one try
per night's rest.
Empathy
Tier l
The Witchhunter can gain a memory or feeling (usually the
most intense) from an object he is touching. The
Witchhunter may be swept up in these emotions and could
lose control.
It is automatic for inanimate objects, but the character must
spend one Willpoint to tune out the emotions of the object
for the entire time physical contact is being made. To read
the emotions of another being, the character must spend 1
Willpoint. If the subject resists then the vampire must make
a Willpower roll with the target's Willpower as penalty.
Tier ll
This level is a collection of intelligence-gathering effects that
help the Witchhunter know what he’s confronting.

A Witchhunter using this level is able to tell when magic
or supernatural energies of any sort are being channeled or
used, including very subtle forms of magic. To the sight of
the Witchhunter, those using such energies stand out from
the crowd unmistakably, often appearing wreathed in unnatural
flames, speaking in streams of black fog or in other, similar
ways. As with the other applications of this level, the
Witchhunter concentrates. The player spends a point of
Aether and rolls Perception + Wisdom. Every success allows
the Witchhunter to know if magic (supernatural powers or the
like) is being used (and who is doing so), in a radius of five
feet per success rolled.
This danger sense lasts for the duration of the scene.
Tier lll
Sometimes even the prey can emit such a threathening
presence that the predator holds back with care, sometimes
even give up it's hunt and flee instead.
This level creates an aura of protection around the
Witchhunter that keeps all supernatural creatures at bay.
Supernatural creatures, instinctively stay away from the
Witchhunter. Those so willful as to try breaking through
suffer three levels of aggravated damage per turn (although
those creatures with the means to soak aggravated damage can
do so). The player spends two points of Aether and rolls
Charisma + Wisdom. The aura extends from the Witchhunter
in a radius of five feet per success. Any supernatural creature
caught in the circle when the Witchhunter invokes this level
may remain absolutely still to avoid the damaging effects,
otherwise it takes damage as though it had broken the aura.
Tier lV
The Witchhunter’s power has grown such that not only can
he use empathic power to sense creatures, he can control
them, even to the point of turning them on each other.
This level causes all supernatural creatures within a twenty-
yard radius to become confused and turn on one another with
extreme violence. They do this heedless of any physical or
social consequences; only leaving the area allows a creature
regain its self-control once more.
The player spends three Aether points and rolls
Manipulation + Power. The Storyteller must make resisted
Willpower rolls for all supernatural creatures in the area of
effect. Any creature with fewer successes than the Witchhunter
35
AD. 12 1 3
(ties go to the Witchhunter), instantly attacks the nearest
other supernatural creature with whatever it believes to be its
most lethal attack. Witchhunters may certainly be injured or
killed as frenzied monsters may lash out at everything closest
to them.
Tier Vl
The Witchhunter projects a portion of her consciousness
into a nearby intelligent mind, creating a mental link through
which she can communicate wordlessly or even read the
target's deepest thoughts. The Witchhunter "hears" in her own
mind the thoughts plucked from a subject as if they were
spoken to her.
This is a potent ability since a Witchhunter can learn
virtually anything from a subject without him ever knowing.
The player spends an Aether point and rolls Intelligence +
Wisdom (penalty of the subject's Willpower). Projecting
thoughts into the target's mind requires one success. The
subject recognizes that the thoughts come from somewhere
other than his own consciousness, although he cannot discern
their actual origin.
To read minds, one success must be rolled for each item of
information plucked or each layer of thought pierced. Deep
secrets or buried memories are harder to obtain than surface
emotions or unspoken comments, requiring five or more
successes to access.
Telepathy does not commonly work upon the undead mind
or beasts. A character may expend a Willpower point to make
the effort, making the roll normally afterward. Likewise, it is
equally difficult to read the thoughts of other supernatural
creatures.
Thoughts are “seen” as flowing streams of impressions and
images, rather than as a sequence of prose.
Restitution
Tier l
By mentally manipulating metabolism and the bodys
naturally processes, the Witchhunter can control the flow of a
demonic entity's force within. Consuming it as raw power to
fuel the Witchhunter's own strengths.
This level allows the Witchhunter to draw strength from a
demon's pain. After wounding the creature, the player rolls
Perception + Power and the target resists by rolling Stamina.
 AD. 12 1 3

For each success the player achieves in excess of the target's opportunity for other actions.
successes, the Witchhunter regenerates a point of Aether (up
to the limit of his Power). Tier Vl
The Witchhunter, must do one of the most difficult things
Tier ll possible: He must let an opponent land a blow on him!
Sometimes the worst monsters are those who can spin your This level, delivers to the Witchhunter’s enemy the same
around their fingers, inductrinate others to their ideas, or damage, slightly exacerbated, that they do to him with fists or
outright possess your thoughts and movements. melee weapons. The Witchhunter stoically receives the blow
However, the Witchhunter with this aspect have a good delivered by his enemy. He may not attack that turn, nor
weapon against such manipulators. may he attempt to dodge (although he may soak).
This reflexive action rids the Witchhunter’s mind of all Roll the character’s Stamina + Power. If the player obtains
forms of supernatural control. This includes all forms of one or two success, all damage dealt to the character (before
mind-control. The player rolls Wits + Focus. Two successes soak) is visited upon the attacker as bashing damage. If the
are needed for emotionally based control and the magic of player rolls three or four successes, the damage is visited
mages and the fae, while one success breaks all other forms upon his attacker as lethal damage. If the Witchhunter’s
of mental control, including all conditioning that would affect player rolls five (or more) successes, the attacker suffers
the Witchhunter at a later date. This level can even purge the aggravated damage.
Witchhunter of a possessing demon, but this requires three
successes and the expenditure of a point of Aether.
Awarenes
Tier lll
With this level, the Witchhunter gains the ability to
meet supernatural opposition on even ground,
The Witchhunter may augment his Attributes
increasing to match those of his opponent. For example,
if facing a werewolf with Strength 7, his own Strength
leaps to that level as well. The player must spend a
point of Aether for each Attribute to be affected and roll
Wits + Power. An individual Attribute may never rise
higher that the character's Willpower, and never higher
than the target's Attributes.

Tier lV
Basic control over the functionalities of demonic
abilities.
This application allows the character to reflect a
supernatural power back upon the user. A fireball thrown
from a sorcerer's hands ricochets off the Witchhunter's
body, flying straight back at the (probably very
surprised) caster, and inflicts its normal effect.
To activate this force, the character spends two points
of Aether and rolls Intelligence + Wisdom (penalties
depends on the attacker's Willpower). This power
requires the character's complete attention, reducing the

36

Tier l
Many monsters hide behind illusions, beguiling, or outright
conceal themselves from all the senses. But to the
Witchhunter their magically hiding is all in vain.
This effect allows the Witchhunter to pierce the veil of a
supernatural creature's magically created obfuscation. The
player rolls Perception + Power, opposed by the creature's
Wits + Stealth. If he acquires more successes than the
creature, the character sees through it's foul dissembling.
Tier ll
This effect grants the Witchhunter the ability to affect the
senses of ethereal creatures, passing unnoticed by the eyes of
the supernatural, “hiding in plain sight.”
This effect allows the character to cloud the minds of the
supernatural, shielding his presence from supernatural creatures
even as he stands among the flock. This non-perceptibility is
free of cost, requiring only that the character concentrates,
and it may be maintained for as long as the character
continues to concentrate. If another creature actively seeks
him out, the player must engage in an opposed roll. The
player rolls Wits + Focus, opposed by the Wits + Alertness
of the creature attempting to locate him.
Tier lll
The Witchhunter forced to rely on stealth and secrecy. The
power of this effect goes far beyond mere silence, and lets the
Witchhunter cover his presence (and even his trail) in a
myriad of ways.
Utilizing this power prevents enemies from using any
supernatural means to detect the Witchhunter. The
Witchhunter concentrates for concealment, and the player
spends a point of Aether and rolls Wits + Focus. Every
success deletes three successes from a supernatural creature’s
attempts to use magical sensory capabilities to detect the
Witchhunter.
Tier lV
The Witchhunter can actually see his surroundings without
relying on his physical visual senses, allowing the Witchhunter
to see through solid objects.
The character rolls Focus + Alertness and pays one Aether.
Successes Effect
1 The character can only see through thin or
37
AD. 12 1 3
flimsy materials. Curtains, paper, etc., will be
normal difficulty, but thin steel and concrete
will be very hard.
2 The character can now see through denser
materials, as long as they are thin.
3 The character can see through armor with
difficulty.
4 The character sees through ordinary objects,
even thick armor, without difficulty.
5+ The character can see through normally
impenetrable substances, like lead and other
heavy metals.
Tier Vl
The Witchhunter with this ability projects her senses out of
her physical shell, stepping from her body as an entity of
pure thought. The Witchhunter's astral form is immune to
physical damage or fatigue, and can "fly" with blinding speed
anywhere across the world - or the Interstice.
The Witchhunter's material form lies in a torpid state while
her astral self is active, and the Witchhunter isn't aware of
anything that befalls her body until she returns to it. An
ephemeral silver cord connects the Witchhunter's psyche to
her body. If this cord is severed, her consciousness becomes
stranded in the Interstice, among ghosts, spirits and shades.
Attempting to return to the Witchhunter's physical shell is a
long and terrifying ordeal, especially since there is no
guarantee that she will accomplish the journey successfully.
This significant danger keeps many Witchhunters from leaving
their bodies for long, but those who dare can learn much.
Journeying in astral form requires the player to expend 2
points of Aether and one Willpower, then make a Perception
+ Focus roll. Difficulty varies depending on the distance and
complexity of the intended trip. The greater the number of
successes rolled, the more focused the character's astral
presence is and the easier it is for her to reach her desired
destination.
Resilience
Tier l
This augmentation gives the Witchhunter remarkable (many
claim miraculous) abilities in battle.
 AD. 12 1 3

Thos power improves the Witchhunter’s reflexes to an

astonishing degree, giving him a chance to move out of the
way of any number of attacks against him. He can sidestep
attacks from an array of enemies — even while taking the
battle to the enemy. The player spends a point of Aether. For
the rest of the turn, the character receives a chance to dodge
(without any penalties) against every attack directed at him,
even if he’s attacking an enemy in the same round. This use
of this augmentation in no way provides the Witchhunter with
more than one attack, it simply gives him unlimited dodging
ability. This augmentation does not work if the character does
not know an attack is coming (i.e., if he is ambushed).

Tier ll
This technique, when used strategically, can easily astonish
the Witchhunter’s opponent and turn the tide of a combat.
The Witchhunter causes a number of attacks to give him the
health levels that they ordinarily would have taken away.
The player spends one Aether. From then on to the end of
the scene, the character can reverse the damage of a number
of attacks equal to his Wisdom rating. A Witchhunter can
thereby turn his enemy’s well-aimed deathblow into a blessing
of revivification. This augmentation can only be used once per
scene.
Tier lll
More physical is this augmentation, which grants the
Witchhunter an astonishing capacity for surviving even the
best efforts of his enemies to inflict damage on him.
When the character invokes this augmentation, his player
pays 1 Aether and rolls Stamina + Power. Each success
provides the character with one point that he can use for
soak. This pool can be spent at the player's choice, but it can
only be used once per scene.
Tier lV
The level of this power renders the Witchhunter impervious
to all forms of supernatural weaponry, whether it be the claws
of a wolf-man, the fangs of a vampire or the enchanted blade
of a wizard. Any such weapons used against the Witchhunter
may make contact with his body, but then have no effect on
him at all, as though the weapon were made of thin wood
and the Witchhunter’s body were made of stone. For the sake
of formality, the attacker may want to roll to hit, but the
outcome is the same: no supernatural weapon affects the
Witchhunter in any way.
That said, direct magical attacks on the Witchhunter still
work normally, as do normal weapons. Only supernatural
weapons using Brawl, Melee or Archery rolls are affected by
this augmentation.
Requires 2 Aether points. No roll is necessary, and the
effect lasts until the end of the scene.
Tier Vl
Not all challenges faced by Witchhunters can be dealt with
quickly. Their work eventually places all members of the
Witchhunters in a position of extended adversity. This
augmentation grants the Witchhunter the ability to endure a
variety of drawn out, difficult situations without being whittled
away by physical or mental erosion and falling before the
enemy.
This power allows a Witchhunter to survive even the most
grievous wounds inflicted on him in battle by rendering the
blows of his opponents incapable of inflicting significant harm
— or, at times, any harm at all. The player spends two points
of Aether and rolls Stamina + Power. Each success represents
one degree of wound reduction (i.e., from aggravated to

38

lethal, from lethal to bashing, or from bashing to no wounds
at all). The player makes the roll at the beginning of combat;
for the duration of the scene, he can choose to lessen an
attack by one grade for each success (i.e., three successes
would allow the character to ameliorate an attack causing
aggravated wounds by three levels — that is, from aggravated
to no damage at all — or three attacks by one damage
category apiece (i.e., turning three lethal attacks into three
bashing, or ignoring damage entirely on three bashing
attacks).
Combat
Tier l
The Witchhunter can alter the flow of the Aether within his
body to enhance his martial abilities.
The Witchhunter spends 1 Aether and rolls Wits + Power.
Each success adds one extra bonus to all Brawl, Dodge, and
Melee rolls for the next scene.
Tier ll
This is an enhanced intuition. The Witchhunter has learned
to use his combat sense in battle and is capable of reacting
on insincts that are more accurate to the situation. Thus he is
able to roll with the punches, aim his attacks more accurately,
and just overall perform better in combat.
The Witchhunter gains one automatic success on all
combat rolls for each Aether point he spends.
Tier lll
With this power the Witchhunter can induce the fear of
battle and death in his opponents.
Any mortal being must roll Courage with a penalty based
on the results of the Witchhunter's Willpower + Intimidation
roll. He must also spend one Willpower.
With three successes on the Courage roll the victim has
completely resisted the effect. With one or two successes he
will have to continue to roll Courage every round he tries to
engage the Witchhunter. With no successes he will retreat
from the battle.
If the Witchhunter fails the roll he will never be able to
effect his opponent with that power ever again.
Tier lV
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AD. 12 1 3
The Witchhunter infuses some of their Aether into a
weapon's physical manifestation. It becomes near unbreakable,
and never needs be sharpened again. It will never scratch,
never bend, never chip, etc.
Requires 2 points of Aether, and the Witchhunter must
succeed on a Power + Dexterity. The weapon then inflicts
aggravated damage. It cannot be broken, except by seven
points of aggravated damage directed directly at the weapon.
This supernatural force soothing through the steel, gently
binding the weapon to the hand reducing weight and
handiness, ignoring Wield Penalties, also grants one
automatic success on initiative.
Tier Vl
With this power the Witchhunter will be able to attack
groups as though he were fighting with only one opponent.
He can strike several individuals with one blow in a 360
degree.
The Witchhunter rolls his Dexterity + Power. The number
of successes determine how many additional opponents he can
strike: All opponents capable of being affected must be within
a radius of 5 yards radius.
Successes Effect
1 Success 1 Opponent
3 Successes 2 Opponents
5 Successes 3 Opponents
6+ Successes 4 Opponents
The Witchhunter must expend one Aether point every time
this power is used with a single attack. Once the opponents
to be hit with the additional attacks are declared they cannot
be changed. Once the attack is declared, only Brawl or Melee
attacks may be used in conjunction with this power; with the
exact same attack (opponents can attempt to defend
themselves but will automatically suffer a penalty equal to the
Player's Melee/Brawl Ability, + the amount of Aether spend
in the attack).
Once the Witchhunter has declared that he is using this
power he may not try to dodge or commit any other action
for that attack.
Telekinetics
This rare Endowment was developed by long mentoring and
“voluntary” experiments with witches and mystics, showing
 AD. 12 1 3

unique skills of moving things with their minds. The resulting Tier Vl
Endowment allows a Witchhunter with this skill to mentally
Up to 2000 pounds (1 ton) may be moved using this
lift, move, and manipulate objects. Objects may be
power.
manipulated as if in the Witchhunter's hands; axes may be
The character must spend three Aether points and roll
swung, doors may be opened, locks may be lockpicked,
Focus + Willpower -5.
goblins may be slammed against the walls, etc.
If this is used on a living being, they may resist the power
with a Willpower roll (penalties equal to the character's Focus Battle Sovereign
rank); each success subtracts one success from the
Tier l
Witchhunter's Focus + Willpower roll. This power cause
stress on the mind and requires total concentration; nothing As warriors the Witchhunters invested in many advantages
else may be done. in fighting enhancemnet, and the Endowment of Battle
Sovereign is another of these. This Endowment use his
For all powers below, the successes determine how fast the
opponents strengths against them.
object can be moved in one turn.
With this ability, the Witchhunter becomes better able to
Successes Effects
judge the ebb and flow of combat around him. Each Aether
1 success one foot point spent in this enhancement's announced use will give the
2 successes one yard Witchhunter a +1 bonus when determining initiative.
3 successes three yards
4 successes ten yards Tier ll
5 successes twenty yards When the Witchhunter has attained this level of mastery, he
can execute melee strikes with much more vigour, causing a
Tier l greater degree of damage to his foe.
Up to one pound may be moved using this power. The Witchhunter makes a Strength + Melee as normal to
The character must spend one Aether point and roll Focus hit and spends one Aether point. If a hit is scored, the
+ Willpower -1. Witchhunter's Power is added to the damage. On a botch,
the Witchhunter must make a Stamina roll or take bashing
Tier ll one health level of damage from over stretching himself.
Up to 20 pounds may be moved using this power.
Tier lll
The character must spend one Aether point and roll Focus
Using this ability, the Witchhunter is able to move Aether
+ Willpower -2.
within his body to cushion damage inflicted upon him.
Tier lll By making a Stamina + Survival roll the Witchhunter may
add any successes to his Stamina for purposes of soaking. If
Up to 200 pounds may be moved using this power, or it
the Witchhunter expends a point of Willpower, he may enable
may be used to levitate the Witchhunter only (regardless of
these successes to be used to soak lethal damage. If he
actual weight).
additionally spends two Aether, he may soak aggravated
The character must spend one Aether point and roll Focus
damage aswell.
+ Willpower -3.
Tier lV
Tier lV
With this power, the Witchhunter is able to probe the
Up to 500 pounds may be moved using this power.
mind of an opponent and temporarily affect his ability in
The character must spend two Aether point and roll Focus combat. The Witchhunter can "leech" knowledge away from
+ Willpower -4. his opponent and use his own knowledge against him.
The Witchhunter spends an Aether point and must make a
40
 AD. 12 1 3

Perception + Empathy roll with a penalty equal to the target's from control at any time.
Willpower. For every success, the Witchhunter is able to
"leech" one level from any of his opponents combat related
skills and use them in that combat turn only. The victim can
Kinetics
make a Willpower roll with a penalty equal to the number of Tier l
successes to shrug off the effect on him, but the Witchhunter This is a recent and experimental Endowment that deals
will still enjoy the benefits of the insight into his opponent's with the absorption and discharge of incoming force. It's
style. quite powerful, and requires a lot of mental strength and
Example, the Witchhunter with a Melee skill of 3 is control of his ethereal energies to utilize.
fighting a wyvern with a Brawl skill of 5, a dodge of 3 and a When the Witchhunter is getting struck in combat and
Willpower of 5. The Witchhunter employs this power and dealt damage, the body's Aether may absorb some of the
gains five successes. He chooses to leech four points from energy and store it within the blood of the Witchhunter,
the wyvern's Brawl skill and 1 from it's dodge. This gives the utilizing it for fuel at a late time.
Witchhunter a revised Melee skill of 7 and a dodge of 1. The
When a Witchhunter is drained a Health level from
wyvern has revised skills of Brawl 1, dodge 2. The wyvern
physical sources, the Witchhunter gains one kinetic Force
then makes a Willpower roll against -5 and scores 3
point; it's used later on but can already be expended to add
successes. It adds these to its Brawl. This gives a final skill
one bonus to damage for one attack.
of Brawl 4, dodge 2 for the wyvern. The Witchhunter's skills
remain Melee 7 dodge 1. If this skill is used in subsequent Tier ll
turns against the same opponent, he gets increasingly harder
The Witchhunter can expend more force and use it to pack
to affect. For each turn after the first, the opponent get a
a punch to stun opponents.
bonus of +1 to his Willpower for the purposes of
determining the Witchhunter's successes and for determining The Witchhunter may spend more than one point of Force.
his chance to shrug off the effect. By expending an Aether point the character can increase the
number of Force points by a one for three rank. When the
The Witchhunter may leech a maximum number of combat
character chooses to, he may discharge it all in a bursts of
related levels equal to half his (Power + Willpower).
kinetic force. This counts as stunning Bashing damage. The
Tier Vl character cannot spend more than five points of Force per
burst, though.
This is the most potent power in this Endowmen, as it
allows the Witchhunter to take control of an enemy's body Tier lll
and use it in whatever manner he desires. Although the body
Basically the same as the second-tier of this Endowment.
will not commit acts of violence upon itself, it can be used to
The Witchhunter can reach further with his force releasing
attack friends and allies. (Just perfect for when that big
burst. throwing his kinetic bursts over a distance, hitting
Crinos decides to take your head off!).
someone from afar. The range is about 1 yard per Willpower,
The Witchhunter must expend two Aether points and one times the Witchhunter's Focus rank.
Willpower and then make a Manipulation + Empathy roll,
with a penalty equal to the target's Willpower. For every 2 Tier lV
successes scored, the Witchhunter gain one turn of complete
This level is a bit more devestating that athe previous force
control over the target's movements. The target can make a
projectiles. This time causing internal harm.
Willpower roll with a penalty equal to the Witchhunter's
The Witchhunter can discharge the kinetic burst inside a
Manipulation + Empathy. Each success will negate one
target by touch. The target must roll Stamina penalty the
success achieved by the Witchhunter. The Witchhunter may
Witchhunter's Focus rank or suffer from crushed bones. If the
undertake no other action while he is directing the automaton,
roll fails the target is immediately on Crippled Wound Level.
but may control a number of targets equal to his
For targets of mortal physiology this is Lethal damage.
manipulation score, he may also release these automatons

41

Bashing for monsters of unmortal physiology. Immaterial
creatures and demons are completely unaffected.
Tier Vl
This is a more devestating effect of the fourth-tier power of
this Endowment.
The Witchhunter may discharge the kinetic force in great,
powerful bursts of energy. He may never use more than ten
Force points, though. This damage is aggravated on creatures
of mortal physiology and lethal for creatures of unnatural
physiology. Constructs are also affected, however, suffering
lethal damage. Daemons may now be affected by bashing
damage, but immaterial foes are unaffected.
Skara
This Endowment uses the Witchhunter's natural ethereal to
estblish a connection to his weapon of choice to allow him to
do things with his weapon that others would consider
supernatural. All powers, however, requires the infusion of his
Aether, so it only work with the chosen bonded weapon.
In order to do so, the Witchhunter must, however, sacrifice
one Permanent Aether to bind himself and his weapon
together on an ethereal plane.
This allow the Witchhunter to “heal” his weapon of any
damage suffered through extensive use, or if severily punished
through combat. This requires several hours of his time as he
gently whets it with a pure stone (to remove nicks and dings),
polishes it with fine cloths (to remove scratches and burs), or
sits holding the shattered remains together with his hands and
exorting his will into it.
For nicks and dings the character bleeds an Aether point
onto a pure whet stone and spends time rubbing the stone
over the nicks, dings or other bliemishes. After a few hours
of this, all of the mars will be gone. After a couple of hours
the ritual is finished and the sword is perfect again. To heal a
broken weapon takes an expenditure of 2 Aether points and
the expenditure of a Willpower point. This will completely
repair the weapon of all damage and remanifest as good as
new.
Tier l
The Witchhunter becomes truly one with his weapon,
allowing him to extend his senses through it and the weapon
technically feels like an extension of his person. He is no
42
AD. 12 1 3
longer required to see or hear his target—instead, mystically
sensing it. This allows him to attack in utter darkness as if it
was daylight.
The Witchhunter ignores all penalties due to lack of sight
or darkness. He just mystically sense where his enemy is.
This doesn't let him see in the dark, however, and he must
know that there is an enemy for him to use this ability. If
there are multiple enemies, he can keep track of all of them—
but if a new enemy moves onto the field after the
Witchhunter can't see him, he will not be able to fight him
unless he gets sight of him for at least a second.
This requires no roll to use.
Tier ll
The Witchhunter empowers his weapon with Aether, which
almost glows in power as he holds it. Any attacks made with
the weapon cut deeper than normal, and the wounds are more
grevious.
The Witchhunters weapon now does aggravated damage if
he spends two Aether points. He merely needs to make a
Willpower roll and spend a round to empower the weapon.
He may not do anything else while doing this.
Tier lll
A Witchhunter with this level is mystically connected with
his weapon on an even deeper level, and can draw it to him
as long as it is not too far away from him. The weapon
actually “jumps” into its owner's hand, ready to be used. If
the Witchhunter attacks the same turn he uses this power, he
usually surprises his foe.
If the weapon is not more than five yards away from the
Witchhunter, he may spend a Willpower point to have it leap
into his hand. This will almost always surprise an opponent
unless he is aware that the Witchhunter is capable of this.
His attack against him will receive a +2 bonus to attack,
because he is off-guard.
Note: The weapon does not just disappear and reappear in
the Witchhunters hand—it must be able to navigate you.
Tier lV
The Witchhunter can “dance with the sword” as some calls
it, anticipating the actions and moves to intercept others while
they're attacking the Witchhunter. He becomes a lot harder
to injure when he achieves this level of mastery of Skara.

The Witchhunter can parry one attack per round for each
rank of this Endowment, without splitting his Roll. He can
roll his full Dexterity + Melee to try to avoid the attack. He
can only parry Melee attacks, Brawl attacks, and projectile
attacks. If the Witchhunter does nothing but parry, then the
parry is at a +2 bonus.
Tier Vl
The Witchhunter is as empower by the connection as the
weapon is at this stage. He is as fast as lightning with his
weapon, and is so unerringly quick that few others can get a
slash in before they are cut down by his expert martial skills.
The Witchhunter must spend an Aether point every time he
wishes to use this power. Every turn he spend the Aether
point anything other than a 1 is considered an automatic
success on initative roll. He also roll Wits + Melee for his
initative.
Additionally, the former tier-four level is also automatically
activated.
Rituals
The body of knowledge of mystical ritae, or rituals, which
have been recorded by the Shadow Inquisition is constantly
growing as more and more Witchhunters finds them useful in
the field, however, the Shadow Inquisition itself still considers
them only a useful “side-tool”. Presented here is a further
sample of the ritae that make up the Cathedral's records
43
AD. 12 1 3
repertoire of most used rituals known to the Witchhunters.
Unless otherwise noted, all rituals requires ethereal energies
to take effect, as such one point of Aether must be spend on
Tier-one to Tier-three. Tier-four and five, however, requires
more energy, costing two Aether points to cast. Additionally
strong will and concentration are required, and a Willpower
roll must be made, usually with a penalty equal to the level of
ritual used.
Level l
Scapulamancy
This ritual allows the Witchhunter to discover a source of
hunting prey. The collarbone of a desired species is needed.
This is thrown into a fire. Afterwards it is taking out and the
cracks made in the collar bone are followed as a map. It
requires an Intelligence role to understand. Each success is
additional to hunt roll successes.
Wisdom of Bones
By obtaining a fragment of bone from a target, as well as
some of that target's blood, the ritualist can gain supernatural
knowledge of that person's thoughts. The ritual takes an hour,
and the bone must be crushed into a powder and mixed with
blood from the target until it becomes a paste, which the
ritualist swallows at the end of the ritual. For the rest of the
night, the target may use a form of Telepathy upon the
subject from which the blood and bone were taken, even if
the ritualist does not possess that power.

Cast Thy Sight
With this ritual and either a crystal ball or a wide, flat
body of water (a puddle or a bowl would work fine, though
unnatural surfaces such as mirrors cannot), a Witchhunter can
view distant events, places or people. Other spellcasters or
monsters may detect this scrying (Contest of Perception +
Occult to detect versus ritualist's Wits + Stealth to spy
softly). No sound can be heard, although lips can be read.
The interior of relatively small enclosed objects (boxes, safes,
people) cannot be viewed. Concentration is required; loud
noises or interruptions will either require a Willpower roll
with an appropriate penalty.
The casting Witchhunter must enter into a light trance and
concentrate on the water, while murmuring a fifteen-second
incantation and passing her hands over it a series of circles.
After a successful Willpower roll, the Witchhunter can either
send her sight to a place she can clearly visualize or she can
move it from her current point of reference, flitting it about
as though from a flying perspective, sending it down
chimneys, through open windows, doors, etc. In either
instance, the Witchhunter must make a Willpower roll every
half-hour beyond the first to maintain her concentration.
Failure means that she has lost focus and must rest for an
hour or so before continuing.
The Rune of Vigilance
This ritual requires approximately an hour for an
experienced ritualist. It allows the ritualist to prepare a small
vial of blood, which, when painted upon a wall or other flat
object in the form of a thaumaturgic sigil, approximately
three inches high by three inches wide, will slowly fade to
match the color of the object upon which it has been painted.
Any individual passing within a yard of the rune will trigger
it, and the ritualist will instinctively know which rune was
triggered. The ritualist may have as many Runes active as
ranks in Willpower. The Rune can be perceived by someone
using a mystical form of detecting.
Rite of Exorcism
One of the most utilized rituals practiced by Witchhunters
in their proffesion. Many restless spirits haunt manrors and
graveyards, and the ritual to banish them is a usefull tool.
Through this power, a ritualist may command a spirit or
demon residing within a given place or person to leave at
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once.
This long and involved rite allows for temporarily or even
permanently banish a spirit. The Witchhunter must engage in
an extended, opposed roll with the spirit in residence. The
exorcism requires a standard roll and payment, but with the
spirit's Willpower as a penalty. This roll is made at the
beginning of every hour during which the ritual is taking place
and is opposed by a Willpower roll for the spirit. The
Witchhhunter must accumulate a total number of net
successes equal to the spirit's Willpower rating before the
spirit may be compelled to vacate the premises.
Blessing of Eternal Rest
Witchhunter are aware of the use of wicked magics to affect
the dead, and the usual rites performed during a funeral are
not always enough to prevent this from happening. When a
recently deceased corpse is purified with this ritual, however,
desecrating it with necromantic arts becomes much more
difficult.
This ritual may only be performed over a body within three
days after death. It involves chanting for five minutes and
sprinkling the ashes of a cremated corpse over the deceased.
The Witchhunter then makes a standard Willpower roll and
spends a point of Aether. From that point forward, any
attempts to use powers that affect the corpse of the deceased
have their difficulty increased by the number of successes
rolled to perform this ritual.
Level ll
Hurt the Spirit
By burning incense and pouring alcohol over a weapon it is
possible to give it power to actually do some sort of damage
to things not of this world. It does not do aggravated damage
though. However, it functions against immaterial enteties and
demons as if on a normal mortal creature.
Approaching the Shroud
This disturbing ritual brings a Witchhunter closer to the
grave, making her body unfeeling and pale, like that of a
bloodless corpse. It takes an hour to cast, and requires a
handful of soil from the grave. When the ritual is activated,
the ritualist will feel her body grow cold and numb. This
increases the difficulties of all Appearance and Dexterity-based

rolls by one. However, because the Witchhunter can feel no
pain, she suffers no wound penalties. The effects of the ritual
last for one night.
Skull Sentry
This old ritual was allegedly developed by Rhunegaard wyrm
druids during the Worldbridge area. To cast this ritual, the
Witchhunter must cut the head from a living creature using a
specially prepared knife that is engraved with runic symbols
and lightly powdered with gold dust. Then the severed head
must be completely drenched in blood. Any blood may be
used, but typically the ritualist uses animal blood while adding
a drop of their own, and sometimes oteher's, blood into the
pool. The head is then buried underground until all the flesh
has decayed from it. At this point, the skull is extracted,
polished, and placed near an item or area that the ritualist
wishes it to guard. Thereafter, any individual whose blood was
not used in the casting of the ritual will, when approaching
within six yards of the skull, activate a disturbing effect. The
skull suddenly screams a high-pietch scream, high enough to
function as an alarm, but also so devestating as to inflict one
point of bashing damage each turn of continuing screams.
This effect ends when the person that has triggered it leaves
the area.
Tongue of the Spirit
This ritual enables the ritualist to communicate on a very
basic level with the spirits of the dead, as well as weak spirits
of the Umbra. The ritualist can only ask very simple
questions to the spirits. The spirits are under no compulsion
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to tell the truth, and may not know the answers in any event.
The ritualist can contact either spirits whose name they know,
or the spirits of corpses which are found. This ritual does
nothing if the spirit no longer exists, is bound or is not
within ten miles of the ritualist.
In case of an unknown spirit to be summoned, the
ritualist must be in possession of the head of the spirit's
corpse. Having the head of a known spirit grants a +1 bonus
to the casting Willpower roll. If the ritualist is in possession
of the entire corpse, his bonus increases to +2 of an unknown
spirit and by +4 in the case of a known spirit. Spirits which
exist but have been spirits for several centuries will be at a
-1 difficulty to summon for every century since death.
The ritualist must draw a circle around the site of contact
—a circle which has a radius of at least one yard—and inscribe
the thaumaturgic symbols for fire, water, earth, air, and ether
at their correct positions around the circle. In the center of
the circle part of the body or the body itself if available, must
be placed and blood (human blood) sprayed over the remains
to give the spirits the power to manifest and to talk. When
this is complete, the ritualist must position himself outside
the circle and chant which will take two hours to complete.
The completion of the ritual demands the expenditure of 3
Aether points. The blood used in the ritual must be human,
but never the ritualist's—or the spirit will possess the ritualist!
Roll Perception + Occult. The number of successes
determines the number of minutes the spirit will stay. If the
ritualist wishes the spirit to stay for an extended period of
time, he must spill forth an additional point of Aether. The
spirit will then stay for an additional number of minutes equal
to the number of successes originally rolled by the ritualist.
The summoned spirit will feel compelled to answer the
ritualist, if the spirit knows the information desired and/or is
willing to share this information. All questions must be
phrased in a very simple fashion.
Sanctified Homestead
Sanctified Homestead can protect a private dwelling from
any supernatural breach for a time. This ritual is well known
among Witchhunters, and its roots lie more with old folk
traditions of honoring the hospitality and sanctity of the
home than with the actual blessing of an area. Still, its utility
in the field is unquestionable and has guaranteed the restful
sleep of many witchhunters and protected.

This ritual must be performed in a private dwelling and
protects against uninvited visits by undead and demonic
creatures. The character must sprinkle cremated ashes mixed
with salt in all quarters of the building, burn an ounce of
incense and chant for half an hour, after which time the
Witchhunter makes a standard roll. For each success, the
structure is protected from entry by any undead and demon-
possessed or inhuman creatures for one day. The only
loophole is that the creature may enter if invited by anyone
inside the dwelling. Note that this protection is purely
physical: a creature that can see into a window or across a
threshold could use mental powers to force an occupant to
give the needed invitation. Furthermore, although the place
may not be entered, it may be damaged from the outside,
forcing those inside to flee. If the ritus roll is botched, the
ritual may not be performed again on the same dwelling.
Level lll
Bottled Death
To cast this ritual, the ritualist needs a small bit of flesh
from a vampire. The flesh (preferably fresh), must be mixed
with at least three ounces points from either a werewolf or a
fae (ingredients which are both difficult to obtain, due to the
ferocity of the first, and the elusiveness of the second). The
mixture of flesh and blood is then placed in a small glass vial
that is engraved with mystical symbols. After chanting the
words of the ritual, the vial is stoppered and left in absolute
darkness for a week. After this period, the flesh gobbets have
liquified and become absorbed into the blood, which has
become a deadly poison to many coporeal undead. If the
blood from the vial is subsequently drank or injected into an
undead, it inflicts three health levels of damage for each point
drank or injected. The blood is especially lethal to the
vampires, whose flesh was used in the ritual, for if they so
much as touches the blood, it is instantly absorbed into its
skin, and it takes damage as though it had entered the body.
Bone of Lies
This ritual enchants a mortal bone so that anyone who
holds it must tell the truth. The bone in question is often a
skull, though any part of the skeleton will do - some
Witchhunters use strings of teeth, necklaces of finger joints
or wands fashioned from ribs or arms. The bone grows
blacker as it compels its holder to tell the truth, until it has
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turned completely ebony and has no magic left.
This ritual binds the spirit of the individual to whom the
bone belonged in life; it is this spirit who wrests the truth
from the potential liar. The spirit absorbs the lies intended to
be told by the bone's holder, and as it compels more truth, it
becomes more and more corrupt. If summoned forth, this
spirit reflects the sins it has siphoned from the defeated liar
(in addition to anger over its unwilling servitude). For this
reason, anonymous bones are often used in the ritual, and the
bone is commonly buried after it has been used to its full
extent. A specific bone may never be used twice for this
ritual.
The bone imbued with this power must be at least 100
years old and must absorb 10 Aether points on the night that
the ritual is cast. Each lie the holder wishes to tell consumes
one of these points, and the holder must speak the truth
immediately thereafter.
Level lV
Change Name
This ritual allows someone near death or for other reasons
to change her true name. It could actually possibly break
domination over a person, depending on the nature and block
future scrying or even heretical blood curses as the past soul
name is now dead. Something very personal must be burned
during this ritual. And no attempt may ever be made to
recognized the past name, lest the ritual's power is revoked.
Vitriolic Vitae
This 45 minute ritual renders the ritualist's blood poisonous
to vampires and blood and flesh eating monsters. During the
casting, he must drink a small amount of poisonous
blackroot juice, and take one unsoakable level of aggravated
damage in the process. The next 24 hours, any creature
exposed to the witchhunter's blood will suffer one lethal
health level (unsoakable) per 1 oz ingested.
Level Vl
Barred Haven
This ritual requires the ritualist to sprinkle five onces of
blood on all doors and windows in the room to be shielded.
The ritual takes one hour to cast, and blocks attempts to scry

or locate the room. This ritual also seals the doors and
windows against unauthorized entry.
Each successes scored in casting the ritual adds +2 to the
strength required to break into the room. The locks aren't
pickable as the doors simply will not open. If someone who
knows where the room should be searches, he may roll
Perception + Occult against the ritualit's Willpower score as
a penalty, and must gain at least two successes to locate it.
Alchemy
Alchemy is arguably the oldest arcane art in the world.
Named for Al Khem, or the Black Land, the art of Alchemy
was one of the greatest gifts from ancient Egypt to the
mysticism of the world, and it have spread worldwhide and
evolved into different paths of sciences throughout the eons.
The search for the elixir of life, the panacea of universal
medicine and the transmutation of base substances into gold
led to the creation of an encyclopedia of sciences, potions
and curses for nearly every occasion. The Egyptian priesthood
naturally expanded the care for the spiritual well being of their
charges to cover their charges' physical welfare, and they
commanded the greatest liberaries of mystical formulas.
Countles scholars have made an attempt to reassemble all of
these formulas and texts lost to the ages and garther them in
all into the ultimate complete codex of truth of arcane
sciences.
The Shadow Inquisition is especially spending resources on
collecting such secrets and use them in their war against the
unnatural.
Most common folk can't tell the difference between an
alchemist and a herbalist, believing both to make potions and
foul sorcery. It's what they've been told after all. However, the
few who know a little about an aclhemist is most familiar
with the royal alchemist who trie to cover the secrets of the
universe through experimentation, usually about the secrets of
how to make gold from lead. True alchemy, however, is far
more complicated and the art truly shows the arcane abilities
of the ancient Egyptians.
The mastery of alchemy by the Shadow Inquisition
obviously proves that the art is not completely forgotten. The
formulas and discoveries have become an essential element in
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the surgical procedures of the Witchhunters.
However, since Alchemy is magical in nature, they are
subjects to the Witchhunter's powers of negating magic.
Alchemical Preperations
The process of alchemy is not properly a spell or ritual.
Instead, and alchemist creates a product that embodies the
effect he seeks or one that induces the desired result.
Alchemical spells and rituals are generally called formulas, and
one usually achieves their effects with a particular preparation.
Except for some of the simplest preparations, alchemy usually
requires long hours of work with suitably prepared kit of
speciallized alchemy tools.
Determining Success
Alchemy is a special Knowledge. Creating a preparation
requires a standard Occult + Alchemy roll, against a penalty
of the formula's difficulty.
Creating alchemical preparations requires an average of one
hour per level of the formula being crated.
Duration and Resistance
The standard alchemical preparation either creates an instant
and permanent effect, or it lasts for an average of 4 hours
before the effect fades. Taking multiple doses of a potion
with a time duration normally lengthens the duration, rather
than increase the effect.
Sometimes a subject may wish to resist an alchemical
preparation's effects. Unless the formula description notes that
the formula may not be resisted, the victim may roll Stamina
with a penalty equal to the formula's difficulty level. The
subject must roll at least one more success than the alchemist
applied to the mixture's potency.
Level One Alchemy
Cloud of Smoke
Type: Essence
Roll: Alchemy + Occult
Difficulty: -1
Aether: n/a
With this powder, the alchemist can cause any fire, even a

smoldering spark, to emit a cloud that conceals the area. The
smoke is normal in all ways. It causes visual and olfactory
difficulties for those in the area. Including the alchemist. The
thick smoke cloud firlls a 5 yard cube of space for each
success on the roll.
All those within are at a -4 penalty to all approperate
Perception-related rolls.
Drink of Seven Days' Rest
Type: Elixir
Roll: Alchemy + Medicine
Difficulty: n/a
Aether: n/a
The Drink of Seven Days' Rest relieves fatique instantly,
restoring vitality to the one hwo drinks it. If the beneficiary's
health level is Bruised, the potion also restores one health
level. No healing occurs with more seriously wounded
characters. A successful preparation leaves the recipient feeling
refreshed and alert for four hours. The beneficiary tires
normally after the effects wear off.
Restful Candle
Type: Essence
Roll: Alchemy + Occult
Difficulty: n/a
Aether: n/a
This soothing fumes is very popular among the well-to-do
and even among some lesser employees of the noble courts.
This thick bluish wax, used for candles, when slowly burned
along a wick, fills the air with a sweet, relaxing fume which
sticks in no windy conditions for 6 hours. When inhaling
these fumes, beings feels more relaxed and can easier battle
stress, mental pressure and remain calm when facing fears or
trauma. All rolls against fear, or somehow mentral stress is all
at a +2 bonus.
Mild Poison
Type: Salve/Elixir
Roll: Alchemy + Medicine
Difficulty: -1
Aether: n/a
This creates a simple but effective poison with a lethal toxin
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rating 2 per dose. A poison takes effects in the same turn it
is administered, and the effect is permanent, although a victim
may heal as normal if he survives. On a weapon, the poison's
damage applies in addition to that of any blow inflicted by
the weapon itself.
A standard Perception roll is required to notice, whether it
is a salve made to coat a surface or a potion slipped into the
victim's food. The number of extra successes extra spent on
the preparation's potency increases the victim's penalty to
resist the poison.
Decoction of Resilience
Type: Elixir
Roll: Alchemy + Medicine
Difficulty: -1
Aether: n/a
This substance is essentially a supernatural anesthetic.
Although it is commonly created as a potion, it may take the
form of a salve. The recipient's wound penalties decrease by
two health levels. Therefore, a Mauled character suffers only
a -1 penalty rather than the usual -2. Even a user who fails to
Incapacitated may continue activity until the effect's duration
ends. Of course, dying puts the recipient beyond the help of
any painkiller.
Simple Elixir
Type: Elixir
Roll: Alchemy + Occult
Difficulty: -2
Aether: n/a
A simple elixir is a catch-all designation for a plethora of
preparations that magically boosts a recipient's Attributes
temporarily. Each application raises by one the Attribute it is
designed to boost for about four hours. As noted previously,
multiple applications increase the effect's duration, not the
Attribute boost.
An enhancement of an Attribute higher than five from a
mystical source of alchemy, typically provides a trait with a
focused benefit.
Simple Philtre
Type: Elixir

Roll: Alchemy + Occult
Difficulty: -1
Aether: n/a
Old folktales, and old fairytailes alike, are rife with these
magical potions. A simple philtre inspires a particular
emotion—be it fear, love, courage, anger or something else.
As with elixirs, a character must learn each type of philtre
seperately
the philtre floods a character with a particular emotion, even
if such a feeling is normally unthinkable to the recipient. This
effect adds -1 penalty to any roll to resist circumstances
relating to the emotion created. Succeeding on Seduction
rolls is far easier against a victim of a love philtre, as is
succeeding on Manipulation attempts against a character who
is subject to fdeeling adoration. A philtre of courage makes
the subject more likely to attempt hazardous endeavors, while
a philtre of hate is useful when trying to provoke an
individual.
Simple Tonic
Type: Salve/Elixir
Roll: Alchemy + Medicine
Difficulty: -1
Aether: n/a
A tonic is a preparation that heals damage caused by
sickness or physical attack, and it may take the form of a
salve or potion. Each dose restores one health level of
bashing or lethal damage.
Lantern Stars
Type: Elixir
Roll: Alchemy + Occult
Difficulty: -1
Aether: n/a
A fist-sized glass vial with a pale blue liquid, and if shaken
the lichen sheds a bluish light equal to a torch for a time,
after which it burns out. These lights, called lantern stars, last
for a few hours before burning out, but if shaken again they
begin to glow again. They do not give off heat or smoke, and
the light is constant and unwavering. All darkness vissibility
related penalties are reduced by half. Additionally each extra 5
yards of radius negates the level of low-illumination by half as
well; 5 yards—pitch darkness (-6) is reduced to -3; at 5- to 10
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yards—dark (-4) is reduced to -2; at 10- to 15 yards—dim
lighting (-2) is at a -1 penalty instead. A Lantern Star can be
used and reused for over a year before it looses it's usage.
Sunrod
Type: Powder
Roll: Alchemy + Occult
Difficulty: -1
Aether: n/a
This powder when finished prepared turns into gold colored
ceramic-like substance about 1-foot-long tile, that glows
brightly when snapped in the hands of a user. It clearly
illuminates a 10 yards radius and provides shadowy
illumination in a 20 yards radius after that. It glows for up to
3 hours, after which it turns more reddish, before it turns
completely dark and have burned out.
Ammun's Ointment of Noncorruption
Type: Salve
Roll: Alchemy + Medicine
Difficulty: -1
Aether: n/a
Ammun's Ointment of Noncorruption is an embalming
ointment that slows the decomposition of dead tissues. This
oil simply slows down the decomposition rate of a dead body
to the decomposition effect of one hour per day. It's not
uncommon for huntsmen to use this oil to keep their game
as fresh as possible while camping in the wilds. There's a
chance that the meat could begin to spoil before returning
home, so this helps keeping it fresh for use longer. Many
bounty hunters also use this ointment to keep their trophies a
fresh as possible, so that when they return to their employer
to show that their job is finished, they doesn't carry a
decomposing, maggot filled, smelly head at their person.
There is usually enough ointment within one container to
cover and entire human-sized person.
Level Two Alchemy
Blood of the Snake
Type: Elixir/Salve
Roll: Alchemy + Medicine
Difficulty: -2

Aether: 1
Each dose of this preparation—typically a potion or a salve
—defends against poisons for four hours. This brew reduces
by three the toxin rating of any poison that is already in the
character's body or introduced into her body during the
antidote's duration. Reducing a toxin rating to zero negates
the poison's effects entirely. If this potion is administered
within one turn of the point at which a poison took effect,
Blood of the Snake can also restore a number of health levels
to the subject equal to the successes gained on the alchemist's
preperation roll.
Dragon Bile
Type: Elixir
Roll: Alchemy + Occult
Difficulty: -1
Aether: 1
Although it could be used as a poison, this potion is
actually a vitriolic acid. Each dose causes one level of
Aggravated damage to whatever substance it touches unless
said substance is gold or glass. Dragon Bile can be used to
eat through non-living barriers, and it is devestating to living
tissue.
Eyes of the Ghost
Type: Salve
Roll: Occult + Alchemy
Difficulty: n/a
Aether: n/a
The alchemist applies this magical salve to the beneficiary’s
eyes and ears. While its effects last, the character may see
across the veil into the Interstice, the part of the Astral
Realms that borders closest to the world of the living. Sights
are distorted and sounds are muted. Since ghosts normally
pass unseen amongst the living, they are likely to notice that
the user is actually observing them.
Chira's Polish
Type: Salve
Roll: Alchemy + Craft
Difficulty: -1
Aether: 1
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Chira's Polish is a thick white chymical paste that quickly
darkens to purple, then blue, then black as it interacts with
any metals upon which it is placed. Assuming an item has
not lost more than 1/2 its Durability points, Chira's Polish
can restore up to 3 Durability points by alchemical restoring
and rebounding the metals (but metals only). By spreading it
onto the metal and leaving it undisturbed, the polish
transforms any damage by fractures and imperfections in the
weapon or armor, slowly repairing the item at the rate of one
an hour.
Chira's Polish is mostly used by Witchhunters and some
mercenaries while out in the field, or if too far from a
blacksmith to easily get metal implements fixed or reforged.
Bottled Fire
Type: Salve
Roll: Occult + Alchemy
Difficulty: -1
Aether: 1
This liquid can start a fire with little more than a touch on
non-living flammable substance. The size of the subsequent
fire depends upon the amount of flammable material available
and the number of successes the alchemist rolls on the
preperation roll. Damage to a victim caught by the flame
follows normal rules for fire.
Level Three Alchemy
Gravesalt
Type: Powder
Roll: Alchemy + Occult
Difficulty: -2
Aether: 1
Not a true salt mineral, however, created artificially through
alchemy and mystic ritualism, this powder of silvery crystals
have a deflective effect on incorporeal entities. If spread out in
a line or smeared across a 1½ yards square, any ghost or
other restless spirit are unable to pass through, unless passing
a Willpower roll for every turn afterwards or become drained
of mental force (one Willpower per fail ed roll). Wheter
succeeding or failing on such a roll, they still receive a -1
penalty to all rolls while within the area.
The Gravesalt can remain in effect for as long as the line
 AD. 12 1 3

yards cone. Can burn for 8 hours.

Complex Elixir
Type: Elixir
Roll: Occult + Alchemy
Difficulty: -1
Aether: 1
Not surprisingly, a Complex Elixir is a more powerful
version of a Simple Elixir. Each elixir here works like its
respective level one equivalent, but it imbues the recipient
with two extra points to any of his Attributes. Or it may
increase two Attributes by one instead, for example might one
dose of Complex Elixir increase Stamina and Strength by
one each for the potion’s duration.

Complex Tonic
Type: Salve/Elixir
Roll: Medicine + Alchemy
Difficulty: -1
Aether: 1
A Complex Tonic heals three health levels of bashing or
lethal damage that derive from disease or injury.

Dangerous Poison
Type: Salve/Elixir
Roll: Medicine + Alchemy
Difficulty: -1
Aether: 1
isn't broken, which could happen by even a strong gust of
wind. This formula represents knowledge of a number of ways to
create mixtures that conceal the preparation and use of quite
Spirit Light deadly toxins.
This preparation creates a poison with a lethal toxin rating
Type: Essence
of 5 per dose. Even if the subject resists the toxin’s effect, he
Roll: Alchemy + Occult still suffers one bashing health level of damage. It otherwise
Difficulty: -2 functions just like a level-one Mild Poison.
Aether: 1
When burned, the type of candle illuminates it's One Hundred Tongues
surroundings in a greenish glow, which shows the shadows of Type: Salve/Elixir
invisible creatures and ghosts within the Interstice. This light Roll: Linguistics + Alchemy
allows visual detection of ghosts and hidden entities beyond
Difficulty: -1
the veil. It illuminates up to 5 yards radius, but if placed in a
bullseye lantern, the cone of light becomes focused to 15 Aether: n/a

51

This preparation endows the user with the ability to speak
and understand any spoken language. The user may drink it
as a potion or apply it to both the ears and mouth as a salve.
A salve applied to only one sensory organ bestows only
partial enchantment. A salve applied to the hands and eyes
enables the user to use and comprehend sign language.
Botched batches of this concoction might render the user a
babbling idiot temporarily, make her misinterpret everything
she hears or leave her capable of speaking only a particular
foreign tongue.
Potion of Valor
Type: Elixir
Roll: Medicine + Alchemy
Difficulty: -1
Aether: 1
A more powerful form of the Potion of Resilience, this
preparation reduces wound penalties by four levels instead of
two. It also grants two temporary health levels below
Incapacitated, which forestall death and allow the beneficiary
limited mobility. This extra resilience lasts until the potion
wears off, so someone who is hanging onto life thanks to this
potion must receive medical attention or healing magic before
its four hours pass, lest he fall dead.
Gravebane
Type: Essence
Roll: Alchemy + Occult
Difficulty: -2
Aether: 1
This thick white liquid evaporates almost instantly upon
contact with air, creating a thin, nearly invisible smoke. The
smoke is nearly odorless, and it has no effect on most
creatures. Undead, however, are usually repulsed by the smoke
and can only pass though it with the expense of a Willpower
point. When opened, a flask of Gravebane fills a 6 yards
radius area with smoke. Undead cannot enter an area filled
with Gravebane smoke unless they also succeed on a
Willpower roll (after the expendure of one Willpower point).
The effect lasts for as long as an hour, although strong winds
may decrease this duration.
Eyes of Isis
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Type: Elixir
Roll: Occult + Alchemy
Difficulty: -2
Aether: 2
Communication is a vital component of success for any
Witchhunter. Without the ability to maintain communication
during an assault, no plan can survive contact with the enemy.
The alchemist simply brew up a vat of this mind-expanding
elixir. Once he fights his way through the hallucinations, the
user finds he has the ability to read the surface thoughts of
others and even to project his own thoughts into their minds.
This concoction is a virulent shade of yellow, with subtle
veins of a slightly darker color swirled throughout the liquid.
One dose will for the rest of the scene, the alchemist may,
as a reflexive action, hold a two-way mental conversation with
another character within his line of sight or scan the surface
thoughts of another. Holding a two-way conversation requires
a Perception + Willpower roll, with one roll required of both
characters for every turn’s worth of conversation. If the
character being conversed with is also under the effect of this
ritual, conversations are automatic, with no roll required.
Scanning the surface thoughts of another character likewise
requires a Perception + Willpower roll, contested by the
target’s Willpower if the target is unwilling.
Tears of the Nether
Type: Elixir
Roll: Occult + Alchemy
Difficulty: -1
Aether: 2 plus amount invested
A staple of many Witchhunters in general, this one-dose
potion stores raw Aether for future use. When making the
preparation, the alchemist must decide upon the amount of
Aether she wants the potion to hold, then she must spend
that amount of Aether along with the minimum that the ritual
itself requires. Obviously, the character cannot spend more
Aether than her character has on hand.
Instead, one success is required for each point of Aether
infused into the preparation, and any extra Aether dissipates.
Therefore, if an alchemist expends five Aether to create a dose
of Tears of the Nether that contains three Aether, but he gets
only two successes, the potion contains two Aether, and the
remaining Aether is lost.

When consumed, the potion increases the user’s Aether
score temporarily, even above its normal maximum. Aether
points gained from drinking the preparation are always the
first to be expended, and any points that remain unused when
the potion’s duration is over are lost. Only one potion may
benefit a character at any one time, and further draughts have
no effect before the initial dose is exhausted.
Level Four Alchemy
Panacea
Type: Salve/Elixir
Roll: Medicine + Alchemy
Difficulty: -2
Aether: 3
This ritual creates a potion that can cure almost any
disease. Each dose removes from the recipient one illness up
to a toxin rating equal to the alchemist’s Medicine +
Alchemy rating – from a common cold to amoebic dysentery
to cancer. The panacea does not heal wounds, however.
Amun’s Water
Type: Elixir
Roll: Occult + Alchemy
Difficulty: -4
Aether: 3
The monsters the Witchhunters face are at home among
the shadows, lurking unseen in the night. To face them and
uncover their wickedness, a Witchhunter must sometimes go
unseen as well, passing beyond sight and entering the very den
of the lions. By quaffing this potion, an alchemist veils herself
from sight, becoming invisible.
Amun’s Water is a deep blue liquid the consistency of ink,
brewed from deadly nightshade and the venom of an adder. It
has a cloying, sweet taste and as it goes down, it feels like
swallowing liquid ice.
The user fades from sight and becomes partly invisible.
This is no mere psychic trick; the character is literally
invisible. Witnesses simply see her cloaking, partly vanishing
into the environment. Any hostile action, such as attacking or
brandishing a weapon, immediately breaks the invisibility.
Potion of the Unseen Path
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Type: Elixir/Essence
Roll: Meditation + Alchemy
Difficulty: -1
Aether: 3
This potion puts the user into a trance-like state, allowing
her consciousness to separate from her body and travel
astrally. More correctly, the spirit remains connected to her
physical form via a protective link. Astral travel operates
mostly as per the top Awareness endowment. The spirit is
restricted to travel in the Interstice.
If the user’s consciousness is still separate from her body
when the potion wears off, the wayward spirit snap back into
her body. Returning to flesh in such a jarring fashion requires
the user to make a Stamina + Occult roll or lose a bashing
health level due to shock.
Level Five Alchemy
Deadly Poison
Type: Salve/Elixir
Roll: Medicine + Alchemy
Difficulty: -3
Aether: 2
This preparation creates a poison with a lethal toxin rating
of 7 per dose. Even if the subject resists the toxin’s effect, he
still suffers three bashing health levels of damage. By
spending two additional Aether during preparation, the
alchemist can transform the lethal poison into one that
inflicts aggravated damage. It otherwise functions just like the
level-one Mild Poison ritual.
Potent Elixir
Type: Elixir
Roll: Occult + Alchemy
Difficulty: -3
Aether: 2
The Potent Elixir is a significantly more powerful formula
of the level-one Simple Elixir. Each specific Potent Elixir
bestows three points that the player can use to boost any of
her character’s Attributes temporarily.
Potent Philtre
 AD. 12 1 3

Type: Elixir venomous saliva, cry poisonous tears and even discharge toxic
Roll: Occult + Alchemy urine. Even breathing on another living being causes the
Difficulty: -2 victim to make a Stamina roll or lose one bashing health
level. Against nonliving materials or tissue, her corrosive fluids
Aether: 2
destroy two levels automatically.
The Potent Philtre works exactly like a more powerful form
A monster who drinks the user’s blood suffers two levels of
of its level-one counterpart. It adds +3 difficulty to any roll to
aggravated damage. Likewise, anyone cutting or stabbing the
resist circumstances relating to the emotion that the philtre
user risks getting splattered with toxic blood. To avoid this
inspires.
damage, an attacker who draws the user’s blood must get a
number of successes on a Dexterity + Dodge roll greater than
Potent Tonic the number of health levels he inflicted. If the attacker is
Type: Salve/Elixir splattered, the effect is the same as if the user spat on her
Roll: Medicine + Alchemy opponent. An attacker who draws blood with natural weapons
Difficulty: -2 like claws or teeth takes damage automatically, and a material
Aether: 2 weapon suffers the corrosive damage described previously.

The Potent Tonic heals up to five health levels of bashing

or lethal damage.
Level Six Alchemy
Personal Poison
Potion of the Divine Type: Salve/Elixir
Type: Elixir Roll: Medicine + Alchemy
Roll: Medicine + Alchemy Difficulty: -2
Difficulty: -2 Aether: 3
Aether: 3 One of the great dangers of poison is that it will strike the
This ritual is an improved version of the Potion of Valor. wrong target. Although this spell have managed to spread
The user suffers no wound penalties, regardless of health level, across the Middle East. It has found rare use with the
and he receives three temporary health levels below Fedayeen assassins from Nizari during assassinations. This
Incapacitated that forestall death and allow him mobility. If preparation reequires the addition of something closely
he takes any more damage, however, the character dies as connected to the intended victim, be it a strand of hair, drop
normal. The effects of any wounds that remain hit full force of spittle or tattered bit of solid clothing. Success creates a
after the potion wears off. poison creates a poison with a lethal toxin rating of 7 per
dose. Even if the subject reswists the toxin's effect, he still
Potion of the Vile Body suffers three bashing health levels of damage. And if two
Type: Elixir additional Aether points is spent during preparation, the
Roll: Medicine + Alchemy alchemist can transform the lethal poison into one that
inflicts aggravated damage.
Difficulty: -2
The primary advantage to this ritual is that only the
Aether: 3
intended victim can be harmed by the resultant concoction.
Consuming this potion renders the user immune to all
forms of poison, flooding her system with deadly venom in Princely Elixir
the process. Her entire body, including various fluids and
secretions, becomes poisonous. Type: Elixir
Against living targets, the character’s excreted bodily fluids Roll: Occult + Alchemy
act as a contact poison of lethal toxin rating 5. She can spit Difficulty: -3

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Aether: 2
The Princely Elexir is a more powerful and universally
useful formula for the level five Potent Elixir. Each specific
Princely Elixir boosts up to four appropriate Attributes by a
single point.
not been set aside are rendered useless. Each Talent, Skill or
Knowledge requires a different formula and must be learned
independently. If the Abilities are different, a user may benefit
from more than three doses, as long as no single Ability
gains more than three dots total.

Princely Tonic Kingly Elixir

Type: Salve/Elixir Type: Elixir
Roll: Medicine + Alchemy Roll: Occult + Alchemy
Difficulty: -2 Difficulty: -3
Aether: 3 Aether: 2
This tonic was described in old papyruses as “Honey of The Kingly Elixir is a more powerful and universally useful
Khem” and once thoughts to be a key component of the formula for the level six Princely Elixir. Each specific Kingly
legendary “Spell of Life” belived to grant long livity to the Elixir boosts up to four appropriate Attributes by two dots.
ancient Pharaohs.
Unfortunately, the ritual's great fame has brought great woe Kingly Tonic
to those ancient priestesses of Isis who knew this formula. Type: Salve/Elixir
During a period in the 2141 BC, dozens of priestesses were Roll: Medicine + Alchemy
abducted and brutally tortured by the Wasets in hopes of Difficulty: -3
wringing this formula from their screaming throats. Since this
Aether: 4
formula have reached the archieves of the Shadow Inquisition,
it obviously didn't remain a secret. This dose of Kingly Tonic removes all diseases and heals
up to seven health levels of bashing or lethal damage from
The Princely Tonic heals up to six health levels of bashing
sickness or from injury or three health levels of aggravated
or lethal damage, as well as all diseases.
damage. If the tonic restores any aggravated damage it does
not also heal any levels of bashing or lethal damage.
Level Seven Alchemy
Personal Poison Philtre of the Night Realms
Type: Elixir Type: Essence
Roll: (Ability) + Alchemy Roll: Occult + Alchemy
Difficulty: -1 Difficulty: -3
Aether: 1 per dose Aether: 5
The Book of Thoth was said to record all knowledge and This ritual creates a red incense. When lit, the incense gives
this elixir is said to have been found from a torn page of off an abundance of enchanted fumes that quickly fill a room
same said book. This formula attempts to instill the wisdom with a cloying, bruise-colored haze that causes all peaceful
via a direct infusion. For the elixir's duration, the user gains sleepers who breathe in the odor leave their bodies and enter
one dot in the Ability to which the formula is attuned. More the dream realms of the Umbra.
than one dose may be consumed, though it is important to
remember that no more than three dots may be added to a Level Eight Alchemy
single Ability at any one time. When the alchemist begins the
process, she must declare the amount of Aether being
Divine Elixir
invested. Any Aether beyound the number of successes Type: Elixir
received is wated, an any doses created for which Aether had Roll: Occult + Alchemy

55

Difficulty: -4
Aether: 4
The Divine Elixir is is a more powerful and universally
useful formula for the level seven Kingly Elixir. Each specific
Divine Elixir boosts every Attributes by two dots.
Divine Tonic
Type: Salve/Elixir
Roll: Medicine + Alchemy
Difficulty: -4
Aether: 5
Each dose of Divine Tonic removes all diseases, grants
immunity to poisons and diseases and heals all health levels
of bashing or lethal damage from sickness or from injury. It
even brings someone back from the edge of death
(Incapacitated). Alternatively, the tonic may heal five levels of
aggravated damage. If the tonic restores any aggravated
damage, it does not heal any bashing or lethal damage.
Bombs
Bombs are five-inch diameter spheres made of iron,
ceramics/clay, cloth, or paper, filled with alchemical
blastingpowder and, in some cases, additional alchemy
ingredients to enhance damage. Bombs have a simple built-in
pyrotechnic black match fuse which can be either a lit fuse
ignited by flint and steel, or it can be a fuse igniting by
frictional heat generation when the fuse is striked against a
suitable surface.
Rudimentary incendiary bombs appeared in the Eastern
Roman Empire, where soldiers learned that Greek fire, a
Byzantine invention of the previous century, could be thrown
at the enemy in stone and ceramic jars. Later, glass containers
were employed. The use of Greek fire spread to Muslim
armies in the Near East, from where it reached China by the
10th century.
The most important alchemical ingredience in these bombs
is “gunpowder”, an explosive powder which have been made
back in China during the Tang dynasty.
While it apparently wasn't their intention to create a weapon
of war, the Chinese Taoist alchemists developed this
gunpowder in their experiments with minerals known as
sulfur, saltpeter and cabon involved in searching for eternal
life and alchemical transmutations.
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AD. 12 1 3
Even China has throwing weapons they call “Zhen Tian
Lei” ("Sky-shaking Thunder") were Chinese soldiers pack
gunpowder into ceramic or metal containers. In 1044, a
military book Wujing Zongyao ("Compilation of Military
Classics") described various gunpowder recipes in which one
can find the formulas and designs for creating these bombs.
These texts and diagrams have come into the hands of the
Shadow Inquisition.
The manuscript stated that shells, they call “pào” are made
of cast iron, as large as a bowl and shaped like a sphere.
Inside they contain half a pound of 'divine fire', which is
gunpowder. They are sent flying towards the enemy camp
from an eruptor (mu pào), and when they get there a sound
like a thunder-clap is heard, and flashes of light appear. If ten
of these shells are fired successfully into an enemy camp, the
whole place can be set ablaze.
Even in India have such devices been found and the designs
brought back to the Shadow Inquisition.
The earliest gunpowder formula contained to little saltpeter
to be explosive, but the mixture seems to be highly
flammable, and contemporary weapons can be deployed as
incendiary weapons. One of the first, if not the first of these
weapons was the Chinese fire arrow.
This gunpowder may only produced an effective flame when
exposed to oxygen, thus the rush of air around the arrow in
flight is a suitable catalyst for this reaction.
The Shadow Inquisition have found a use in firing burning
arrows and bolts at some monsters.
Bombs are made through alchemy, but they aren't a
mystical force as other alchemicals, they are a chemistry side-
effect of the research into alchemy. As such they can be made
by anyone (though they require the skill of Alchemy) and
does not require Aether to function.
Level One Bombs
Blasting Bomb
Type: Bomb
Roll: Craft + Alchemy
Difficulty: n/a
Effects: may cause Knockdown
Blasting bombs are an explosives bomb filled with packed
gunpowder, connected to the fuse. It's highly unstable and
when exposed to fire, explodes with tremendous force. Those
 AD. 12 1 3

caught within the blast area suffers 8 lethal damage. This perchlorate or potassium nitrate, with a heat reactive
damage reduces by 1 damage point for every yard it expands alchemical that flares with incredible intensity when ignited.
from the point it exploded. As the gunpowder ignites the alchemical mixture flashes with
Fragment: This variant of the blasting bomb. It has in such intensity it can illuminates up to 30 yard radius, and
addition of packed gunpowder also a large amount of metal those who stares at the excact point of the source are exposed
pellets, nails or glass shards. When it explodes, it deals 8 to Blinding for two turns, after which they receives a -1
points of lethal damage, but reduces by 2 damage points penalty to all Perception rolls. The thunderous blast also
every third yards, (it will always end at damage 1, however) as causes Dazed effects to anyone withon 5 yards of the bomb
fragments flies a far greater distance. as it explodes.
A typical fragment bomb uses iron pellets, but they can
instead be packed with silver or iron. Greek Fire
Type: Bomb
Flash Bomb Roll: Craft + Alchemy
Type: Bomb Difficulty: -2
Roll: Craft + Alchemy Effects: Immolation
Difficulty: -1 An invation of the ancient Byzantine. Greek fire is an
Effects: Blinded, Daze incendiary bomb that are filled with an alchemical mixture of
Flash Bomb is filled with a such ingredients as naphtha, sulfur, quicklime, calcium
pyrotechnical ingredients of phosphide, niter, bitumen and pine resin, which are extremely
pyrotechnic metal-oxidant volatile and highly combustible when exposed to heat. Once
mix of magnesium ignited the bomb explodes covering a 5 yard radius with a
or aluminium and flamable and very adhesive substance which burns for 2 lethal
an oxidizer such damage per turn unless extenguished, and it is difficult to
as potassiu soak (soak penalty 9). if allowed for continuesly burn it can
m last for up to severeal hours before the fires begin to die out,
depending on flamable materials.

Dragon's Fumes
Type: Bomb
Roll: Craft + Alchemy
Difficulty: -1
Effects: Blinded, concealment
Dragon's fumes is a smoke bomb, found among Chinese
formulas, that contains an alchemical composition, of poorly
combustible materials such as potassium nitrate, sodium
bicarbonate, an organic dye (roots, berries, barks, leaves,
woods, fungi, etc.) for creating thick deep colored smoke, and
sugar as a fuel. When ignited it produces a thick, billowing
cloud of obscuring smoke. This billowing smoke can fill a 20
yard radius area causing Blindness effects -4 penalties to all
visual Perception related rolls. Additionally it also induces a -1
penalty to all scent related Perception rolls, due to its
choking effects when inhaled. This cloud will continue to

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burn and spread for a minute, afther witch it remains present unless they are able to wash off the grease with alcohol or a
for about a minute after which it dissipates naturally. mild detergent—water is ineffective.

Scent Bomb Level Three Bombs

Type: Bomb
Roll: Craft + Alchemy
Difficulty: -1
Effects: Obscure scents
This alchemical mixture contains ammonium sulfide and
methanethiol, or ethanethiol naturally used by skunks. This
liquid is contained in a glas bottle, that when tossed and
broken causes an aromatic, strong stench, which can confound
any creature’s sense of smell. When tossed it spreads within a
3 yards radius, and remain active in that area. Any creature
passing through that area, or is outright splashed by the
mixture, looses their sense of smell (Stamina + Perception),
and thereby their ability of tracking by scent for up to two
hours. Additionally if a creature is splashed by this foul
smelling liquid, it also looses it's attempts of ambush since
it's stench give aways it's presence.
Grave Blight
Type: Bomb
Roll: Craft + Alchemy
Difficulty: -3
Aether: 2
Effects: Aggravated
This vial of volatile alchemical chemicals contains traces of
graveyard dirt, ectoplasm, wild roses, wolfbane, mistletoe and
a few other ingredients, representive of death and infused with
Aether. Once this compound is thrown at a normal creature,
it deals 4 bashing damage within a 2 yard splash radius.
Against undead creatures, however, this mystic acid deals 3
aggravated damage. On the round following a direct hit, an
undead is damaged by an additional 1 aggravated damage per
turn for two turns.

Level Two Bombs

Hot Grease
Type: Bomb
Roll: Craft + Alchemy
Difficulty: -1
Effects: Knockdown, Immolation
This slippery, alchemical oil burns like all hell when
it comes into contact with skin. A flask of hot grease
(15 oz.) covers one 2- by 2-yard area. Anyone walking
through the area must make a continual Dexterity +
Athletics roll or fall to the ground. If moving faster than
walking speed they suffers a –1 penalty each additional 5
yards of movement it is taking faster than half it's walking
speed.
Example: a creature (with Dexterity 4) sprinting through
the area. Taking its full 32 yards of movement per turn.
Since half of it's 7 yards walking speed is 4 (rounded up)
it suffers a –6 penalty (32 - 4 = 28 / 5 = 5.6 (rounded
up) = 6) to its Dexterity + Athletics roll to keep balanced.
Creatures that slip and fall on the hot grease suffer 1 lethal
(8 Soak difficulty) point of damage per turn for 4 turns

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Blinded
Martial Arts Add +1 to attack rolls made against a blinded target.
Furthermore, blind characters are at -4 on all actions.

For all their superhuman abilities, their mystic rituals and

drugs, the Witchhunters are still hunters and warriors using
sword and axe as much as their knowledge and spells. As
trained warriors and combatants the Witchhunters have a wide
arsenal of combat maneuvers during close combat.
Dazed
If damage is greater than a target’s Stamina +3, the victim
is at chance of being dazed (Stamina + Willpower roll). The
target must spend her next available turn shaking off the
attack’s effects.

Multiple Actions Immobilization

If declaring multiple actions, subtract from the first dice Add +2 bonus to attack rolls made on an immobilized
roll equal to the total number of actions taken (max. 1 per (i.e., held by someone or something) but still struggling
Dexterity dot). Each subsequent action loses an additional -1 target. Attacks hit automatically if the target is completely
(cumulative). immobilized (tied up, unconscious, or otherwise paralyzed).

Aiming Knockdown
The attacker adds one bonus to her attack roll on a single The victim falls down. After suffering a knockdown, the
ranged attack for each turn spent aiming. The maximum subject makes a Dexterity + Athletics roll. If successful, she
number of aim bonusses that can be added in this way equals may get back on her feet immediately, but her initiative is
the character's Perception, and a character must have Archery reduced by -2 in the next turn. On a failed roll, the subject
1 or better. The attacker may do nothing but aim during this spends her next action climbing to her feet, if she chooses to
time. rise.
Maneuvers like tackle and sweep are intended to knock an
Targeting opponent down. However, an especially powerful attack of any
Aiming for a specific location incurs an added difficulty, but kind may send the target to the ground.
can perhaps bypass armor or result in an increased damage
effect and special results. Ambush
Ambushes involve surprising a target to get in a decisive
Hit Location Chart first strike. The attacker rolls Dexterity + Stealth in a resisted
Location Accuracy Damage Chance Effect action against the target's Perception + Alertness. If the
Head/Neck -3 +4 Fatality, Decapitate, Daze attacker scores more successes, she can stage one free attack
Arms -1 - Dismember on the target and adds any extra successes from the resisted
roll to her attack dice roll. On a tie, the attacker still attacks
Chest/Torso - -
first, although the target may perform a defensive maneuver. If
Vitals -2 +3 Fatality? the defender gets more successes, he spots the ambush, and
Legs -1 - Dismember both parties roll initiative normally.
Hands/Feet -3 - Dismember
Heart -4 +4 Fatality Dismember
Eyes -5 +3 Blinded To disarm someone is a difficult task, but the most
experienced fencers are capable of going a step beyond and
remove a foe's extremity, making sure that they become less

59

dangerous while critically injuring them. In order to perform
this attack the victim's limb must be targeted (Dexterity +
Melee) and recieve a total of 3 levels of lethal damage or
aggravated damage after Soak. This maneuver can be done to
attack the victim's neck, performing Decapitation.
This maneuver can be done with a weapon that deals
bashing damage to cripple the limb instead, increasing the
difficulty of any further attack by one for every level of
damage inflicted.
Multiple Opponents
A character who battles multiple opponents in close combat
suffers attack and defense difficulties of +1, cumulative, for
each opponent after the first (to a maximum of +4).
Weapon Length
Weapons lengths is a simple estimated measurement of the
weapons lengt + the wielder's arm, etc. measured in yards. A
longsword, for example would have a 1.1 yard length + ca .7
yard for an arm, giving an overall Weapon Reach of 1.8 yard
weapons with a greater length automatically win Initiative.
Anyone wielding a weapon with length 2 against a shorter
weapon gets +1 to their attack and defense rolls, while anyone
attacking a weapon with a length of 2 with a shorter weapon
gets a -1 penalty on attack rolls (but not defenses).
Seizing Weapons
Any time opponents are at grapple range, a character may
attempt to seize an opponent’s weapon. The opponent may
try to resist this with a resisted Grapple roll. This also works
for natural weapons (grabbing a monsters paw or throat to
keep them from biting, etc.)
Flank and Rear Attacks
Characters attacking targets from the flank gain an
additional +1 attack roll. Characters attacking from the rear
gain +2 to attack rolls.
Movement
A character may move half of her running distance for each
actions in a turn, and still take following actions.
Other maneuvers such as leaping or tumbling may be
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considered separate actions, depending on their complexity.
Combat Proficiencies
Proficiencies, where combat is concerned, measure the
amount of training, practice, and familiarity a character has
with a given brand of weapon or fighting style. Proficiency
covers the basic tenants of how such a weapon or
combination is used, and what its effects are. Proficiencies
represent relatively loose categories—a short club, for example,
can be used with sword-related proficiency, based on weight
and method of use. This assumes that the two items (swords
and short clubs) are used similarly; it is conceivable that
another proficiency could cover the club, or any weapon.
What is important is how that weapon is being used—not
necessarily what the weapon is.
The following descriptions cover most every weapon that a
character may use or come in contact with in the course of
play. Each entry consists of a description of what falls under
that fighting style's "domain."
Maneuvers, listed under each Proficiency, are specialized
uses of each given proficiency. Some maneuvers—such as
most basic attacks— are automatic to anyone possessing even
one point in the proficiency in question.
Many maneuvers have a "cost," paid from the character's
Combat Points and found in parentheses to the right of each
maneuver listed under a given Proficiency.
Sword & Shield
As long as the sword has been in use, the shield has been
present to support it. This is one of the oldest fighting styles
found in Weyrth, and is still taught in many schools.
Throughout the world Gentry and Nobility are particularly
fond of the sword and shield, finding it the perfect
combination for knights both mounted and on foot.
Primary advantages of the shield are its ease of effective use
and its strong defense (allowing the sword to deliver a strong
offence).
Greatsword/Longsword
As better armors came into use warriors began discarding
shields in favor of larger swords. They are elegant weapons,

capable of cutting and thrusting and complicated maneuvering
and countering. Greatswords, longswords, and bastard swords
are effective weapons both in personal duel and on the
battlefield.
The Greatsword Proficiency covers greatswords (roughly 4'
6" to 5' long), longswords (about 4' long), bastard swords
(about 4' long, with a hard tapering blade) and estocs (4'
long, unedged for halfswording), along with any other
twohanded or hand-and-a-half variety. Primary advantages of
these weapons include a long range, lots of cutting power, and
a plethora of maneuvers.
Cut & Thrust
As longbows, crossbows, and primitive ranged armory began
to make plate armor less practical a new form of combat
evolved. This fighting style, the predecessor to the rapier,
consists of a somewhat lighter version of the old-fashioned
knightly sword, with a new emphasis on thrusting in addition
to cutting. A companion weapon, such as a buckler, dagger,
or arming glove usually complements this quick and deadly
weapon.
This school covers all lighter one-handed swords such as
basket-hilted broadswords, backswords, most sabers, sword-
rapiers, and so on. The primary sword is almost always
accompanied by a buckler, poniard/dagger, or arming glove
(a leather and chain gauntlet for grasping and deflecting
blades).
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Rapier
The newfangled rapier is an urban descendent of the Cut-
and-Thrust style, focusing entirely on the thrust aspect.
There is a hot (and bloody) debate between those that
prefer the more traditional longsword or cut and thrust
swords, but the rapier is steadily growing in popularity as a
civilian dueling weapon. It is relatively useless on the
battlefield.
Rapiers are long, with blades sometimes reaching 4 feet.
Despite their weight, superior balance makes them quick and
deceptively deadly thrusting weapons. They are almost always
used along with a companion weapon such as a cloak, a
poniard/dagger, or an arming glove.
Case of Rapiers
A case of rapiers consists of one full-size rapier in each
hand. These weapons are often matched in length, but not
necessarily. The weapon form is sometimes called “Florentine”
by some, describing the use of two swords simultaneously. In
some ways this combination is similar to rapier and cane as
there are two long items, but different in that both are
weapons and can be used offensively. In a way it is also
similar to the rapier and dagger combination in that there are
two offensive items to use, but it is also different in that both
weapons are long.
This school's primary advantage is the extended range of
both weapons—possible only due to the thrusting-only attack
line of a rapier. On the downside, a swordsman is left
without a smaller weapon in the case of suddenly-closing
range.
Doppelhander
The true two-handed sword, an enoumous weapon
of German origin other name is also
"Zweihänder"). Meant for cutting down pike
formations and other pole-armed infantryIn its
developed form, the Zweihänder acquired the
characteristics of a polearm rather than a sword due to
their large size and weight and therefore increased range
and striking power.
Doppelhanders are generally about 6 feet long or
more, with an 18" grip and a second cross-guard about
10" up from the first. They are fearsome weapons with

great range, but easily overcome by any fighter quick enough
to close range.
Pole-axe
This ancient weapon has proven effective and valuable
throughout history. The pole-axe's primary purpose is cleaving
through armor and shields, providing a powerful blow. Most
knights and infantry have trained with this weapon. It is
popular in every corner of the world in some form.
Pole-axes are generally 4 feet long, with a hardwood haft
and a reinforced steel head. They are often adorned with a
spike or hammerhead on the back or top or both. The pole-
axe is especially useful against armored opponents. Because it
requires the use of both hands, no shield is possible.
Pole-arms
This wide grouping of weapons encompasses items as
ancient as the spear, as the pike, and as everlasting as the
quarterstaff.
This school includes all staff or pole-mounted weapons over
6 feet long, though most range anywhere from 8 feet (spears
and staves) to 14 feet (pikes). They have the advantage of
range and (often) speed, but are hard to transport.
Available maneuvers vary greatly due to the design of each
individual weapon. Use discretion and common sense.
Mass Weapon & Shield
Since the earliest clubs mass weapons have found their
place in warfare. With the advent of better and better armors
clubs and farming tools were transformed into battle-axes,
picks, flails, morning stars, and maces. These weapons are in
use the world-over, holding particular popularity with the
peasant infantryman (these weapons are cheap) and the
armored gentry (these weapons are especially effective against
plate armor).
Mass weapons include any single-handed (and occasionally
two-handed) weapon that is particularly heavy on the business
end. Axes, maces, flails, and picks are good examples. These
weapons' balance makes parrying especially difficult, and
forces the use of constant evasion or—more commonly—
shields.
Additionally most axes and hammers are outfitted with a
secondary spike or hammer on the back and/or top. As with
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Pole-arms, exact maneuvers are dependent on the weapon at
hand.
Dagger
This small, easily hidden weapon comes in many forms.
Found in every place in the world, daggers and knives are
used as tools and instruments of death. Daggers are extremely
popular civilian weapons, and are carried by almost everyone.
This Proficiency covers stilettos, poniards, rondels, and all
manners of short stabbing and slicing blades. This Proficiency
is directly attached to street brawling and wrestling due to the
short range of daggers and the like.
Lances
As fighting from horseback became more and more
practical, efficient, and popular, heavy cavalry came into being.
Their weapon of choice for the opening charge is the lance.
This weapon is found anywhere knights or heavy cavalry are.
Lances range from 8' to 14' in length, depending on the
given area. They are usually butted under the right arm and
used with a shield. Lances, though made of wood, are usually
capped with a long steel or iron point. A sporting version, the
jousting lance, has a blunted tip for tournaments. The primary
advantages to a lance are its range and power in a charge,
where it uses the mount's Strength, not the rider's.
Combat Maneuvers
Advanced maneuvers are special fighting abilities that can
only be learned through training. Characters must purchase
maneuvers using Experience Points.
Strike BASIC
The attacker lashes out with a weapon. The base attack is a
standard action and inflicts the character's Strength in damage
added to the weapon modifier. All beginning fighters—and
most people in general—know how to strike.
All attack rolls are Dexterity + Melee.
Thrust BASIC
The thrust is a simple yet powerful attack. A fighter’s stance
(one leg anchoring your character’s position and the other leg

lunging him forward) gives this attack extra force. When the
character makes a thrust attack, plunging the blade toward an
opponent, he does so with a +1 bonus.
It is harder to Parry (Parry attempts are at a -1). It
additionally can cause greater penetration damage +1 damage
as more weight can be put behind the thrusting.
Kick BASIC
If one does not wish to get ones sword blooded, one can
choose to Kick ones opponent instead. This requires a Brawl
roll -1, but increases damage by +1.
Punch BASIC
If one does not wish to get ones sword or shoes blooded,
one can choose to Punch ones opponent instead.
Distract BASIC
This is not a maneuver used for attack, just to throw the
opponent off balance for a second or two. If the maneuver is
successful (throwing sand in opponents face, stomping his
foot or something like that) he or she looses one action.
Taunt BASIC
This is a very special maneuver, not really a combat move,
used to enrage the opponent so that he or she becomes over-
aggresive and makes a mistake of some sort. If the maneuver
is successful, the opponent must make a Self-Control check
in order not to be affected.
Beat COST 1
The beat is an attack upon an opponent's weapon or shield
in attempt to temporarily remove it from the equation. Beats
may only be performed at the start of one's own turn or if
followed by an attack. This sudden, brutal, and effective
maneuver is executed by declaring a “Targeting” and making
the roll. The defender contests with a defensive maneuvre
(parry, dodge, block, etc.) and the contest is rolled normally.
If the attacker wins the beat, then the defenders weapon (or
whatever else was being "beaten") is knocked aside and
cannot be used in defensice maneuvres on the following
attack.
Using a Beat is an excellent way to handle opponents with
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longer weapons as well: close in penalties are ignored when
beating.
Bind & Strike COST 2
This maneuver uses off-hand weapons (shields, poniards,
etc.) to bind or pin down an opponent's weapon, opening up
a clean follow-up attack. Roll attack as normal with the off-
hand weapon/shield (-2 penalty). If this attack is successful
the attacker and the opponent must make a contested
Strength roll. If a success, the opponent loses actions for
every success in the roll. If beating the opponent by 4
successes, his defense on the next attack on behalf of the
Bind and Striker is reduced by -2.
Slam BASIC
The brawler graps the opponent and lifts him enough to
smash him to the ground. This maneuver first requires a
successful Grapple attack; if the enemy can’t break free that
turn, the attacker may use her next action to slam him into
the nearest and most painful surface.
Generally, this attack inflicts Strength +2 bashing damage;
if the surface happens to be sharp, spiked or incredibly hot,
however, said pain might be lethal.
Going Close COST 1
The attempt to change the distance of the engagement and
get in close with an opponent, to take advantage of a shorter
weapon or negate the advantage of a longer one. Roll
Dexterity + Brawl (if unarmed) or Melee (if using a weapon),
with a penalty equal to the higher of opponent’s Athletics,
Brawl (if opponent is unarmed), or Melee (if opponent is
armed). This roll is modified by weapon length as if it were
an attack. If successful, the combat moves to close reach,
limiting what weapons can be used.
Separate COST 1
The attempt to get away from an opponent to make better
use of a longer weapon. Roll Dexterity + Athletics, with a
penalty equal to the higher of opponent’s Athletics, Brawl (if
opponent is unarmed), or Melee (if opponent is armed). If
using a shield or a pole weapon, the fighter can use that to
shove the opponent; if using a pole weapon, the fighter get
+1, if using a shield he get +2.

Curbstomp BASIC
If the opponent is flat on the ground or other solid surface,
the attacker then slams his foot down on the back of the
enemy. Curbstomping requires a Knockdown and Dazed or
Immobilized target. After that, the attacker stomps, and
physics does the rest. The attacker rolls his Strength + Brawl
for the attack. This assault inflicts Strength +2 plus and
additional 1 lethal damage for each success in the attack roll.
Shield Hack COST 2
The fighter attacks his opponent’s shield in order to
damage it. The opponent gets a free Perception + Melee roll
(with a penalty equal to the fighter's Wits + Melee) in order
to recognize that maneuver – if they succeed, they realize
what is being attempted and can Dodge or Parry. Shield
Hack cannot be Blocked (and shields give no defensive
bonus). If hit, add successes on the attack roll to the base
damage done to see if he overcome the shield’s Threshold.
Double Attack COST 4
Attacking with two weapons or two fast strikes in one
action, at once is a tricky. The good thing is that both
attacks deal damage, though only one attack roll is needed.
The bad news is that these strikes are far lighter and deals
less damage (-2 damage) and can be impossible to fine
precission hits (Targeting -4).
An opponent may defend by evading, blocking, parrying but
Parry is at a -1 penalty. Blocking with shields or dodging out
of the way is the most sure method.
Feint COST 4
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Roll Manipulation + Melee.
The attacker splits his number of bonuses into two, then
roll to attack. Once the roll is made any number of successes
may be added to the attacker's hand for making a new attack
roll using normal strike.
It's important to note that a feinted attack lands in a
different spot than originally declared. The attacker must also
state the new location of attack (usually within close areas of
the original attack.
For example: Evan has a STR 3 and Melee 4, and declares
a Feint-and-Slash: He divides his total of 7, into a 3 and a
4. He performs his Feint (using the 3 as Melee + his
Manipulation of 2). The result is a 12; gaining a +2 to his
actual attack roll of (STR 3 + 4, +2) gaining a total of +9
to his attack.
Feints have a tendency to lose their novel effect after a
while when used against the same opponent. Each repeated
identical feint against a single opponent provides the
opponent with a +1 bonus to defend against the Feint.
Parry BASIC
A Dexterity + Melee maneuver using a weapon to block a
Brawl or Melee attack.
Successes on a parrying attempt reduce the net success of
the incoming attack. It is not generally possible to parry
missile attacks, though in some circumstances it may be
possible at the Storyteller’s discretion.
Rather than make defensive maneuvers a part of a multiple
action, the character may declare that he spends an entire turn
defending. The normal multiple-action rules are not used in
this case. Instead, he have a full dice pool for the first
defensive action, but lose one die, cumulatively, for each

subsequent defense action made in the same turn.
Lock Hilts COST 1
The swordsman attempts to trap an opponent's blade and
keep him from using it. The opponents weapon is locked in
position and cannot be used for attack or defence until the
attacker chooses to release the opponents weapon, or if the
opponent succeeds with an opposed roll vs. Strength.
Treat this as a Grapple maneuver, replacing the attack roll
with Dexterity + Melee at a difficulty of the opponent's
Melee rating.
Grapple BASIC
This attack inflicts no damage, as the intent is to
immobilize rather than injure the subject. On a successful
roll, the attacker holds the target until the subject's next
action. At that time, both combatants roll resisted Strength +
Brawl actions; the subject remains immobilized (able to take
no other action) until she rolls more successes than the
attacker does.
Sweep BASIC
The attacker uses her own legs to knock the legs out from
under her opponent. The target takes Strength damage and
must roll Dexterity + Athletics or suffer a Knockdown.
The attacker can also use a staff, chain, or similar
implement to perform a sweep. The effect is the same,
although the target takes damage per the weapon type.
Tackle BASIC
The attacker rushes the opponent, tackling him to the
ground. The attack roll is at a -1 penalty, and the maneuver
inflicts Strength +1 damage. Additionally, both combatants
must roll Dexterity + Athletics or suffer a Knockdown. Even
if the target's Athletics roll succeeds, he is unbalanced,
suffering -1 to his actions for the next turn.
Clinch BASIC
On a successful Brawl attack roll, the attacker goes into a
clinch with the target. In the first turn, the attacker may roll
Strength damage. In each subsequent turn, combatants act on
their orders in the initiative. A combatant can inflict Strength
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damage automatically or attempt to escape the clinch. No
other actions are allowed until one combatant breaks free. To
escape a clinch, make a resisted Strength + Brawl roll against
the opponent. If the escaping character has more successes, he
breaks free; if not, the characters continue to grapple in the
next turn.
Half-Sword COST 4
This is one of the few practical ways to kill an armored
opponent in full harness (full plate) with a sword. Used with
long swords, bastard swords, and other longer weapons, the
half-sword technique is performed by grasping the blade of
the sword with the off hand in order to use the sword as a
short spear or pole-weapon. This technique is particularly
useful in close-quarters as well, when swinging a long weapon
may be impractical. Half-swording reduces a swords effective
length for closequarters; the half-sword may be released into a
one-handed attack at any time, nullifying any half-sword
bonuses, but gaining reach, and provides +2 damage when
thrusting against armors. When thrusting with half-sword a lot
more force can be applied to a pin point, granting a -1 to
Armor.
Half-staff is basically the exact same maneuvre as using
Half-Sword, except it is used with polearms such as spears,
poleaxes
Pommel-Jap COST 3
All damage usually does Kill damage. However, if a
character knows how to use a weapon well can often attack
with them in ways not originally intended in their desing. A
Pommel-Jap is primarily used with swords, when turning the
sword backwards and hammering the pommel and grib into
the face of the opponent, causing -1 damage (bashing
damage), but automatically cause a Daze.
Hook COST 3
Many pole-arms and axes are capable of hooking an
opponent's limb or head. This maneuver is executed like a
thrust that intentionally misses, and then the shaft is pressed
against the target and pulled. This maneuver is particularly
effective on the legs, causing one's opponent to fall and
become prone. If the attack succeed, the victim is dealt
damage -2, but is required to succeed on a Dexterity +
Athletics roll or become Knockdown.

Shield Hook COST 3
The attempt to hook the top of an opponent’s shield in
order to move it away. This requires a weapon capable of
Hooking – an axe, boar/winged spear or peasant’s polearm
can do that, as can a dagger held point-down. The opponent
gets a free Perception + Melee roll (with a penalty equal to
the attacker's Wits + Melee) in order to recognize the Shield
Hook attempt – if they succeed, they realize what is being
attempted and can Dodge or Parry. Shield Hook cannot be
Blocked and shields give no defensive bonus. If successful, the
opponent cannot use his shield until he takes an action to
clear it – this action counts towards multiple action penalties.
Should the fighter attack with the weapon hooking the shield
or a weapon in the other hand, the opponent recovers as a
free action, but this attack cannot be Blocked and the shield
offers no defensive bonus.
Simultaneous Block / Strike COST 3
The fighter can deflect incoming attacks with his weapon
and swiftly strike back. When using this maneuver, a fighter
gains +1 to his Block/Parry roll for the turn, but any
immediate attack he makes as a free action suffers a –2
penalty.
Evasive Attack COST 2
This is a defensive measure that takes place during an
attack. In principle the attacker cuts with his weapon while
simultaneously leaping backward so as to evade an opponent's
attack. This maneuver requires a great deal of skill, but is
indispensable to those who often find themselves in quick-
draw style duels where both opponents go straight for the
attack.
To execute this maneuver one attacks as normal. Once the
maneuver is activated any dots in Dodge may raise the
opponent's attack penalty by one per dot. On the downside,
the character's own attack is also penalised, though only by
one for every two (it's hard to hit a guy when you're going
the other way...). As stated above, this maneuver is activated
with any slash or slash-like maneuver; it is relatively
impossible in conjunction with any thrust-based maneuver.
Blocking BASIC
A block is an interception of an incoming attack with the
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defender’s bare hands or shield. Only brawling attacks can be
blocked with bare hands. Successes on a blocking attempt
(Dexterity + Brawl/Melee) reduce the success of the incoming
attack.
Shield Bash COST 1
If one has a shield he or she may use it for an attack in
which the user smashes the shield into his or her opponent.
This costs oppunity of blocking witch the shield, but it grants
a blunt damage attack. This requires a Dexterity + Brawl roll
-3. If a success, the opponent takes Strength + 3 damage.
Otherwise it functions as a Stun attack.
Moulinet COST 3
If the character makes a successful Thrust on an adversary
with his sword, he may then rotate his wrist and perform a
quick spiral cut with the tip of the weapon. This additional
cut requires an additional attack roll; the cut does lethal
damage to the opponent equal to the character’s Dexterity and
this cut does not count as an actual action.
Block Open & Strike COST 3
This maneuver consists of blocking or parrying an incoming
attack wide open, then using a primary weapon to attack the
new opening. The character must defend against an
incomming attack with a Block, and may then follow up with
a free attack roll at a -1 penalty.
Riposte COST 4
When one has succeeded in a Parry an attack from another,
a attack may be launched using the attackers own, parried,
attack. The attack parried (attacker's original number of
successes), are gained as a bonus to Initiative for a free attack
on behalf of the defender. It doesn't do full damage (- 2
damage), but take up no action in a turn.
Disarm BASIC
This maneuver is used to dislodge the opponent's weapon
so that it leaves his or her hand and falls to the ground a few
meters away.
The fighter rolls his Strength + Melee/Brawl. The target
“soaks” the damage by making a Strength roll. For every
success that the fighter has left after the target' makes a soak

roll, the weapon flies from the target's hands one hex in a
direction specified by the fighter.
Rakes / Deflect COST 5
The move of slaying an opponent with one sword stroke
immediately after unsheathing it. It is designed as a method
of countering surprise attacks. When the swordsman declares
a Rake, roll his Wits + Melee against the opponent's Wits +
Alertness (in essence, a modified Initiative roll). If the
swordsman rolls more successes, the margin of victory is
added to an immediately rolled attack, representing the
surprise that the swordsman gains from using the Rake, and
makes such attacks more difficult, but not impossible, to
Parry. Losing the opposed roll allows the opponent to act
first and subtracts the margin of loss from the swordsman's
Parry roll, reflecting the need to recover, draw, and ready the
sword to parry from a badly timed attack.
Like Rake, the Deflect counters a sudden attack from out
of nowhere with a near-simultaneous unsheathe and deflecting
motion. Roll the modified opposed Initiative as for Rake. If
the swordsman wins, the successes are added to his Parry roll.
If he loses, the successes left are added to the attacker's
attack roll, who capitalizes on the swordsman's awkward
position.
Counter COST 4
The swordsman uses the attacker's own strength and
momentum against him, combining defense and attack into
one maneuver. Roll Dexterity + Melee against the opponent's
Dexterity + Melee. If the swordsman scores three more
successes than his opponent, he deflects the incoming attack
and also inflicts damage equal to the weapon modifier in
bonusses to his opponent (i.e., if a weapon does Str + 5
damage, he would deal five points of damage).
Morstshlag COST 4
From the German school of swordsmanship, this is part of
the full repertoire of half-swording techniques.
Morstshlag is also called “Murder Stroke”, is a half-
sword technique of holding the sword inverted, with both
hands gripping the blade, and hitting the opponent with
the pommel or crossguard. This technique allows the
swordsman to essentially use the sword as a mace or hammer.
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The Morstslag is mainly used in armoured combat, although
it can be used to surprise an opponent in close quarters.
If fighting an armored opponent and slashing and thrusting
doesn't help, brutal blunt-trauma can often make the
difference. In effects it turns all damage from lethal to
bashing (blunt force), and increases damage by +3 and may
Daze the oppoennt if truck in the head, which is often the
trick.
Great Blow COST 2
Basically a simple and unhandy attack, -2 to a Dexterity +
Melee roll to attack. However the fighter puts everything he
has into the blow, exposing himself to injury in the hopes of
doing worse injury to his opponent. If the attack connects,
the damage done is at +2 Strength bonus. The blow is so
forceful it cannot be parried only dodged.
Stop Short COST 1
This maneuver consists of leaping or stomping at an
opponent and then halting suddenly to throw your opponent
off guard.
The attacker rolls a contested attack roll against the
defender's Perception + Melee. If the defender wins, then he
can take defensive actions (Parry, Block, etc.) as normal. If
the attacker wins, then the opponent receives a penalty to his
defense maneuvers equal to the number of successes of the
attacker's next maneuver.
Toss BASIC
Almost all fighting styles teach maneuvers in which the
fighter closes in to grab and throw his opponent to the
ground. Some throws involve fairly little contact between the
two fighters, but they atleast require some contact. Typically,
the shoulders and/or arms are used to unbalance the
opponent and leverage him to the ground. The opponent's
momentum (from his attack or movement) is usually turned
against him.
If the move succeeds (a Grapple), the fighter may choose
where his oppoennt lands. An opponent can be tossed a
number of yards equal to the fighter's Strength. The
opponent receives the fighter's Strength in bashing damage as
he smashes to the ground and is automatically Knockdown.

Overhead Strike COST 3
The combatant lifts or swings the weapon overhead. wheter
single-handed mass or slashing weapons, or large two-handed
weapons, force of Strength in combination with gravity propel
the attacker's strike downwards from above head height.
Although a slow move (- 1 Initiative) and clumsy (-1 to hit,
+1 to attacker's defensive maneuvers), when the downward
strike hits it deals great damage.
Any target damaged by the Overhead, is automatically
Dazed, subject to Knockdown and all damage received is at a
+4 damage bonus.
Additionally, the Overhead can be combined with Great
Blow for even greater damage output.
Ex: Gell (Strength 3) rises his greatsword (6 Lethal
damage) over his head to hammer it dowards toward an
opponent's head (Target Blow -3), he also declares to use
Great Blow. His attack is slower providing a -1 penalty to his
Initiative (luckily he attacks first), and even though his attack
is clumsy -6 to his Dexterity + Melle roll (-2 from Great
Blow, -1 from Overhead and -3 from Head Targeting) he still
hits (because he's just that good) his opponent for 11 lethal
damage.
(Great Blow—Str 3 +2 = 5. Overhead—Weap 6 + 4 =
10). Because Gell's opponent wears a Knight's Armor (Soak
4) and a Full Helmet (Soak 4), he gets a total Soak value
of 8. (15 – 8 = 7 + 4 from Head damage). Since this
devestating amount of damage far surpasses any mortal health
capasity by two levels (one beyound Death), Gell literally
cleaves the entire upper-half of the torso, including the head
in two.
Rising Strike COST 3
The Rising Strike is the exact opposite of the Overhead,
instead being a vertical upward strike. This strike is mostly
performed from ground-fighting or if to attack a higher placed
opponent. The maneuver is slow (-1 Initiative) and rather
clumsy -1, and also deals less damage (-1 damage) as there
isn't enough force behind it. It is, however, the only maneuver
from a Knockdown, which can be performed ignoring
penalties from Knockdown or if prone.
Throwing BASIC
Objects with a mass of 1.5 kg or less can be thrown a
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distance of Strength x 10 in yards. For every additional 1 kg
of mass that an object has, this distance decreases by 2 yards.
As long as the object's mass doesn't reduce throwing distance
to zero, your character can pick up and throw it. If an object
can be lifted, but its mass reduces throwing distance to zero,
the object can be hurled aside at best.
Contra Tempo COST 4
Contra Tempo is kind of a reverse feint or spoiling attack
in which a fighter threaten to quickly wound the opponent to
keep them from effectively attacking. It can be a particularly
good option if having lost Initiative.
Any time the fighter is attacked in close range, once per
turn he may expend a single Willpower point to make a
special attack of opportunity. This is considered a ‘spoiling
attack’ which takes place before their attack is executed, but
at a -1 penalty to hit and -1 damage.
If the opponent chooses to, they can change their attack
roll to a defense roll on the spot, or they can opt to just
continue with their attack anyway in which case the fihgter's
‘spoiling attack’ is rolled against their defense.
Lunge COST 3
A special thrusting attack developed for the rapier or cut-
and-thrust sword. A leap forward is made in coordination with
the thrust. This enabled the attacker to reach an opponent
who thought he was out of weapon reach. It also allows the
attacker to concentrate more power, +1 damage, and energy
and to attack with remarkable speed, +1 Initiative.
He may conduct a single thrusting attack, and gain a +1 on
the attack.
A Lunge attack cannot be initiated unless the uses is one
level out of weapon's reach, and he may not perform any
defense moves on the same round as a Lunge.
Meisterhau COST 5
Another fencing technique for two-handed swords.
A Meisterhau (master-cut) is a cut in which the fighter
simultaneously defends against an attack as they cut their
opponent. This is done either by cutting through the
opponent’s potential avenue of attack (a single time Counter.
Once per turn, if having won Initiative, the fighter may
attempt to make a strike. He make a single focused cut

against the opponent. Whether he hit or miss, his modified
attack roll is used as a penalty against the next attack from
that same opponent if he is attacking within one turn.
Ex: A Meisterhau is attempted with an attack roll of 3
successes including all modifiers. When the defender makes
their next, one, attack they must roll 3 successes or better to
get a hit.
Missile Parrying COST 6
Bat incoming spears, javelins and darts out of the air with a
melee weapon or bare hand. The fighter may apply his Parry
to defend against missile weapons.
This does normally not apply against crossbows, slings, or
bows. However, if acheiving Dexterity rank 5 or more, this
type of Parry may also be used on incomming bolts, arrows
and slung bullets.
Durchlauffen COST 4
Durchlauffen, a German term meaning “passing through” or
“running through” is a basic principle. It simply means to
pass beside or through the enemies’ attack, and can be an
excellent way to cope with an aggressive closing opponent by
using timing to bypass their defense as counter-attacking.
After a successful Dodge (least 2 successes) maneuver
against an attack from a designated target while in melee or
grapple range, the fighter may immediately sidestep, thereby
change range (including entering or exiting melee reach
without provoking any free attack roll) and may move to
flanking or even rear attack.
Fool’s Guard COST 4
Used primarily with long swords, the fighter intentionally
hold his weapon low to seemingly invite attack (Manipulation
+ Melee vs Perception + Alertness), but when the opponent
strikes, the fighter can quickly raise it to counter automaticaly
without using an action for defense. Instead of a normal
defense, roll an additional Manipulation + Melee at a + 1
bonus against the opponent’s attack. Each success reduces the
attack’s damage by 1, and if the characters successes exceed
the attacker’s, the difference is instead inflicted upon the
attacker as damage from the character’s weapon.
The drawback, however, is that the fighter cannot employ
any of his defenses in any turn where he uses the Fool’s
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Guard.
Niten Ichi (Flowing Strike) COST 4
The Nitchen Ichi is a Japanese two-weapon fighting style
which allows both weapons to be used together.
Directing two weapons is not, however, an easy task, and it
requires considerable skill and is considered performing a
multiple action. A fighter rolls Dexterity + Melee to use two
weapons at once for attacking. The weapons can be used in
separate actions through the standard rules for multiple
actions, or the attacker can use them together for greater
damage. Against a single foe, this maneuver awards only
additional damage based on the off-hand weapon type.
Such a strike is not easy, however, and it incurs a -2
penalty, but the maneuver counts as only a single action an
does not count as multiple actions, and do not follow normal
penalties from two-weapon fighting.
Sieze Weapon COST 3
These are arm-locks and disarms, part of the system of
abrazare or ‘grips’, usually with the goal of seizing the
opponents weapon.
This works with unarmed against an opponet armed with a
melee weapon.
Once a designated target have been established on the start
of a character's turn (won the Initiative roll), the character
ignores all actions and allow the opponent to attack with a
melee weapon, wheter the attack was a success or not, the
Character may immediately roll a Dodge, followed by a
Disarm roll. If the character succeeds in disarming the
opponent, the character may seize the opponent's weapon
Weapon Slap COST 3
The character unleashes a powerful blow designed not to
fatally injure an opponent but instead to push his weapon or
shield out of the way and create an opening that can be
quickly exploited. If the attack roll is successful, no damage
is inflicted on the victim, but the opponents does not have
access to any form of defensive moves (with the exception of
Dodge) against the next incoming attack.
Ex: A fighter could attempt to spend two actions to make
two attacks, but the opponent have access to attempt to
Block with his shield, or Parry with his weapon, or make a

Dodge. The fighter sees that his opponent is wearing a full
armor plate, reducing his mobility severily, and decides to
attempt a Weapon Slap. He rolls his attack which is
successful. However, the opponent have only access to his
Dodge, which is at a -1 (Dex 3, armor -4 penalty); failing his
Dodge roll. Since he can't use his shield or weapon, as they
are the target of this maneuver, both being bashed aside, the
following attack from the fighter can't be defended against.
Versetzen COST 4
Simply 'lock and block', with this move, a character uses
an adversary’s momentum against her. If he succeed on a
Strength + Melee roll, the character captures an opponent’s
attacking arm in his own and gains a Grapple over her. The
fighter may add their character’s Dodge to the Strength +
Melee roll, as he is technically making a defensive maneuver.
However, if so chosen to add his Dodge to this attack, he
may not apply any defensive maneuvers against any incoming
attacks that turn.
Defanging the Snake COST 4
This attack is specifically aiming at the hands or wrists, so
effectively this means the fighter must make a Targeting
attack. This attack may be used in conjunction with a
Countering.
The attack is considered Targeting but at a +1 bonus. If
successful the target will drop their weapon as their hand is
severily damaged or dismembered.
Chain Bind COST 3
This defensive maneuver is made with a chain or long
flexible weapon against an incoming attack (Brawl or Melee-
based). When a foe attacks with a weapon or with his body,
the wielding character wraps the attacking limb with the
chain, making a Grappling but using Strength + Melee.
If the character is successful, the limb is bound with the
chain, and the opponent can attempt to escape this next turn
with a resisted Strength roll, exactly as if Grappled.
Outside Choke COST 3
A chain fighting character attempts to wrap the chain
around an opponent’s neck. Roll Strength + Melee. The
victim may attempt to free himself on his next action with
70
AD. 12 1 3
a Strength + Brawl roll, which is reduced by the
character’s Strength +1. This maneuver is not to cause
damage or kill the opponent — intentionally — this maneuver
is to render him unconscious by pressing the chain against
the arteries of his neck, thus halting blood flow to his brain.
If a character is successful on the grapple, she can begin to
choke the victim on the following turn. For every turn that
the choke hold is not broken, the victim suffers an additional
–1 on all rolls to resist. When your character has accumulated
a number of uninterrupted turns equal to twice the victim’s
Stamina, he falls unconscious. This maneuver, when complete,
causes a single point of bashing damage to the victim.
Impenetrable Defense COST 4
A chain or flexible weapon wielding character may choose
not to attack in a given turn, and instead chose to defend
whirling the chain in the direction of her opponent. During
the entire turn, regardless of Initiative, the character adds +2
to all defenses to deflect or Parry incoming blows.
Additionally, the character also gets no penalty for defending
against multiple opponents.
Spinning Strike COST 5
Spinning is a rather complex looking move, but it's actually
leaving the fighter open to attacks, granting the opponent a
+1 to hit, but the advantages of the attack is that one attack
action can make a strike against every opponent within a
radius of Reach both front, rear and flank, however, at a -2
damage as the strikes are not that powerful, but they are fast,
granting the fighter a +1 Initiative and the opponent a -1 to
defensive maneuves.
Another powerful advantage is that a fast spining can often
land more strikes, depending upon the weapon's speed, but
stil at one single attack roll. A weapon's speed is added to
the attack roll, and each success is added as a hit.
Ex: Gerd is surrounded by three opponents closing in, one
at the fron, one of his left flank and one at the rear. He
makes a spinning move with his longsword (Damage str+4,
Reach 1.8, Speed +1 Initiative). He rolls his attack roll
(Dexterity 2 + Melee 2) he rolls a 7 + 4 + 1; for a total of
12, two successes, landing two strikes on all three opponents
within roughly 2 yards radius. All three opponents must roll
defensive maneuvers for two strikes, both at a -1 penalty. If
they fail they are hit for Strength + 2 (4 – 2) lethal damage.